HAITI: Haiti: Amnesty International condemns murder of journalist

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25 Jan 2007
Region: HAITI
Topic: Individual at risk
Amnesty International condemned today the murder of journalist andphotographer Jean-Re'my Badio. The organization believes that he was targetedbecause of his work as a journalist reporting on gang violence in Martissant,a suburb south of Port-au-Prince.
Jean-Re'my Badio was a freelance journalist and photographer. On 19 January, hewas reportedly shot at his home in Martissant where gang warfare has beenspiralling for more than two years.

Jean-Re'my Badio was a member of SOS Journalistes, a Haitian organizationdedicated to the protection and defence of journalists’ rights and freedom ofthe press. According to this organization, he was killed because he hadphotographed members of an armed gang in Martissant. His family reported thatprior to his death he had received death threats from gang members.

Haitian authorities must ensure that the murder of Jean-Re'my Badio does notremain unpunished. An investigation into his murder must be carried outpromptly and thoroughly, and the results made public. Members of armed gangswho are terrorizing men, women and children must be shown that there can be noimpunity for such crimes and must be brought to trial.

Amnesty International exhorts the Haitian authorities to end impunity for themurder of journalists and to bring the alleged perpetrators of these crimes tojustice.In cases where investigations have been initiated, impunity still prevails.Among these are:

* Jean Le'opold Dominique along with Jean Claude Louissaint, murdered inPort-au-Prince on 3 April 2000; * Brignol Lindor, found dead in Acul (near Petite Goa^ve) on 3 December 2003; * Abdias Jean, allegedly extrajudicially executed by police officers on 7January 2005; * Jacques Roche, found dead on 15 July 2005.

Amnesty International urges the government of Haiti, with the assistance ofMINUSTAH, to take urgent steps to ensure that all journalists and human rightsdefenders in Haiti are able to carry out their activities in safety andwithout fear of harassment or intimidation.

AI Index: AMR 36/001/200725
January 2007

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