Between October 1st and December 31, 2024, at least 1,732 people were killed and 411 were injured in the violence of gangs and self-defense groups, as well as police operations. This brings the total number of people killed to 5,626 and the number of people injured to 2,213 during the year 2024.

At the same time, at least 431 people were kidnapped for ransom by gangs during the last quarter of the year, bringing the total number of kidnappings to 1,494 in 2024.

The fourth quarter was marked by three massacres, which caused more than 300 deaths, in the Wharf Jérémie neighborhood (commune of Port-au-Prince), as well as in the locality of Pont Sondé (commune of Saint Marc) and in Petite Rivière, in the Artibonite department. It was also marked by a consolidation of the phenomenon of «popular justice» as a major source of human rights abuses. During the period under review, at least 268 people were lynched or executed in these circumstances, or more than 596 in 2024.

The BINUH report expresses concern that gang members have continued to rape and sexually exploit women and girls, as well as recruit young boys to strengthen their control over populations.

James Elder, UNICEF spokesperson, at the press conference held on 7 February at the Palais des Nations in Geneva revealed «[…] Cases of sexual violence against children in Haiti have increased by 1,000% in one year, a tenfold increase recorded between 2023 and 2024. In 2024 alone, the recruitment of children by armed groups increased by 70%. Today, almost half of the members of these groups are children, some as young as eight years old […] Many of them are forcibly recruited. Others are manipulated or driven by extreme poverty.»

These gangs also continued their tactics of controlling the freedom of movement of people and vehicles on the main roads leading to and from the capital, as well as attacking and vandalizing public and private buildings, including schools and hospitals.

The report also highlights the high number of people killed during law enforcement operations against the gangs, with at least 771 people killed or injured during the fourth quarter. Of these, 38% were residents who were often hit by stray bullets in the streets or having passed through their homes.

This is in addition to summary executions allegedly committed by police officers. At least 80 people were reportedly killed in these circumstances during the fourth quarter, bringing the total to 281 for the year 2024. The victims include individuals accused of being affiliated with gangs, but also motorcycle taxi drivers and street vendors, who were unable to provide identification or justify their presence in certain neighborhoods at the time of their arrest.

Faced with all these abuses and violations of human rights, timid actions have been taken by the authorities to combat the impunity enjoyed by their perpetrators. Following the massacres of Wharf Jérémie and Pont Sondé, although police investigations were initiated, no action by the judicial authorities had been recorded as of December 31, 2024.

Similarly, for summary executions allegedly involving elements of the police, the General Inspectorate of the Police has taken almost no measures to identify their perpetrators, due to insecurity. In this regard, the report recalls that since the start of the vetting process within the police, in June 2023, no police officer has been subject to a thorough background investigation.