Help Institut Panos To Provide Aid to Haitian Journalists

On December 24, 2024, two journalists were among those killed while on the job and several others were wounded in what the AP headlined as the worst gang attack on Haitian journalists in recent memory. A police officer was also killed with an additional two officers nursing gunshot wounds.

Suspected gang members, who’ve taken over an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince, opened fire on them as they were awaiting the arrival of the country’s health minister to reopen the country’s largest hospital in the capital.

The AP reported that Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs, posted a video on social media Tuesday claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening.

The latest attack is a reminder that Haitian journalists still need help.

Recall that in May around World Press Freedom Day, Jamaican investigative news outlet, 18º North, had highlighted the plight of journalists in Haiti who’d been attacked, kidnapped and even murdered by gangs amid the civil unrest that has engulfed the nation following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

In collaboration with Institut Panos, we launched a campaign to help Haitian journalists, and that campaign grossed US$265. After platform fees, a net US$244.01 was successfully turned over to Panos.

Panos says all the money that was received will go toward helping defray some medical costs for at least two of the injured journalists from Tuesday’s assault, and the organization will be adding to the amounts that were raised.

The persons Panos will help include Jocelyn Justin of Chandèl Info, whose lower jaw was torn off in the attack and who remains in critical condition.

There’s also Vélondy Miracle of Nouvel 509, who was shot in the neck.

Thanks to all readers of 18º North who contributed initially to this campaign.

If you’d like to help these or other journalists in Haiti, please donate using this GoFundMe page. All the money net of platform fees will be turned over by 18º North to Panos to help with needs from reporters in Haiti - be it further medical costs, reporting gear or reporting grants (depending on how much is raised.)

It's clear there are those who will continue to try to silence journalists, but we must not let these dastardly acts deter our efforts.

In solidarity with the Haitian press.

Zahra Burton

Founder and Chief Reporter of 18º North.