Haiti: 5,601 deaths linked to gang violence in 2024, a rising toll according to the UN
At least 5,601 people were killed in Haiti in 2024 by gang violence, more than 1,000 additional deaths compared with 2023.
Deadly gang violence toll in Haiti: more than 5,600 killed in 2024
At least 5,601 people lost their lives in Haiti in 2024 due to gang violence, according to figures verified by the United Nations Human Rights Office and reported by news.un.org. This figure represents an increase of more than 1,000 victims compared with the total toll for 2023.
Beyond these deaths, 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 others were kidnapped by gangs during the same period.
Cité Soleil massacre in December
One of the deadliest episodes of the year occurred in early December in the Cité Soleil neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince. At least 207 people were killed in a massacre orchestrated by the chief of the Wharf Jérémie gang. According to information gathered, a large number of the victims were elderly people, accused of causing the death of the gang leader's son through alleged voodoo practices. To cover their tracks, gang members mutilated and burned most of the bodies, whilst others were thrown into the sea.
Lynchings and summary executions documented
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also recorded 315 lynchings of gang members or people presumed to be associated with gangs in 2024, acts that were sometimes reportedly facilitated by Haitian police. Additionally, 281 cases of alleged summary executions involving specialised police units were recorded between 1 January and 31 December 2024.
"These figures are not sufficient to account for the absolute horrors perpetrated in Haiti, but they show the relentless violence to which people are subjected," said Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Impunity and corruption identified as drivers of the crisis
Türk pointed to persistent impunity and corruption as structural factors aggravating the situation. "It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remain prevalent in Haiti, constituting some of the main drivers of the multidimensional crisis the country is facing," he stated.
The OHCHR calls on the Haitian National Police, with the support of the international community, to strengthen its internal control mechanisms in order to prosecute police officers involved in human rights violations.
Arms embargo and sanctions demanded
The High Commissioner reiterated his call for the full implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime as well as the arms embargo. "Weapons that arrive in Haiti often end up in the hands of criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands of deaths, hundreds of thousands of displaced people, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed," Türk emphasised.
The OHCHR furthermore believes that the restoration of the rule of law must constitute an absolute priority, and that the multinational security support mission in Haiti must benefit from the logistical and financial support necessary to accomplish its mandate.
Call against forced deportations
The High Commissioner's office recalls that persistent insecurity and the human rights crisis in Haiti do not permit a safe, dignified and sustainable return of Haitian nationals. Despite this, deportations continue from several countries. "I reiterate my call to all states not to forcibly return anyone to Haiti," Türk concluded.
Source: Google News HT — Port-au-Prince