Me Jean Wilner Morin, the Ombudsman, participated last week in the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, held in Paris, where he spoke at a session dedicated to protecting the right to life and abolishing capital punishment.

In his address entitled "The Right to Life and the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Haiti : A Commitment to Uphold," the Ombudsman reiterated that the right to life is the foundation of all human rights and is enshrined in the principal international human rights instruments. He emphasized that this recognition imposes on States the obligation to protect every person against any arbitrary deprivation of life.

Referring to the case of Haiti, Attorney Jean Wilner Morin recalled that the death penalty was definitively abolished by Article 20 of the Constitution of March 29, 1987, before being definitively removed from the Haitian legal system following the decree of June 30, 1988. He presented this abolition as a major step forward in the protection of fundamental rights.

The Ombudsman, however, drew the audience's attention to the challenges facing Haiti. He emphasized that the security crisis, the proliferation of armed groups, repeated human rights violations, and the weakness of the judicial system fuel a climate of impunity that fosters extrajudicial killings, lynchings, and other forms of mob justice, all of which are contrary to the right to life.

Stressing the State's obligations, he reiterated that the protection of the right to life is not limited to the abolition of capital punishment. It also involves preventing summary executions, prosecuting perpetrators of violations, combating impunity, and guaranteeing effective access to justice for all victims.

In conclusion, Me Jean Wilner Morin stated that Haiti's main challenge today lies in strengthening the rule of law through the reconstruction of an independent, accessible, and effective judicial system. He reiterated that respect for the right to life remains an essential condition for consolidating democracy, protecting human rights, and restoring citizens' trust in public institutions.

HL/ HaitiLibre