7 April 2004

Alert

RSF calls on new government to end impunity on fourth anniversary of journalist Jean Dominique's murder


Incident details

Jean Dominique, Michèle Montas

journalist(s)

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(RSF/IFEX) - Four years after the murder of journalist Jean Dominique, RSF has written to Haitian Prime Minister Gérard Latortue, urging him to bring an end to impunity in the case.

"The many obstacles in the investigation into the murder of Radio Haïti Inter's director and Jean-Claude Louissaint, the station's security guard, exposed the real nature of a regime that placed impunity at the centre of its strategy for silencing detractors. Those who attacked or killed journalists who were critical of the government were never punished," RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said.

"The time has come to end impunity. Because Jean Dominique's assassination was the murder case that most marked Haitian society in recent years, the case's resolution will be a genuine sign that the [Jean-Bertrand] Aristide era is over, that the Haitian justice system is once again beginning to work effectively and that the rule of law is in the process of being restored," Ménard added.

"The recent execution of two arrest warrants against suspects is a hopeful sign, but more remains to be done. The Court of Cassation [Supreme Court] must rule on an appeal so that a new investigating judge can be appointed, and the police must find the defendants who escaped from the national penitentiary. In addition to the peace and comfort that this would bring to Jean Dominique's family, an end to impunity in this case would be a landmark in the establishment of press freedom in Haiti," Ménard said.



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More on this case

Police recapture two men charged in Jean Dominique murder 13 August 2004 Four years later, journalist's murder remains unsolved 7 April 2004 RSF calls on Haitians to maintain pressure for proper investigation of Jean Dominique murder 4 April 2003 RSF outraged by results of inquiry into killing of journalist Jean Dominique 26 March 2003 New act of intimidation against examining judge in Jean Dominique case 4 January 2002

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