CPJ calls on acting Haitian prime minister to respect press freedom
The Committee to Protect Journalists called on acting Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to respect press freedom in a letter delivered to his office via local courier on Tuesday.
The letter expresses concern regarding recent actions taken by Haitian public officials that threaten press freedom and journalist safety in the country and urges Fils-Aimé to immediately repeal the Freedom of Expression and Defamation decree—which was issued on December 18, 2025, by the country’s Transitional Presidential Council. The decree broadens criminal defamation laws, making it even more risky for journalists to report on public corruption and to hold officials accountable amidst the already unstable conditions in the country.
Criminal defamation under Haiti’s penal code has rarely been used against journalists, but the decree is a concerning harbinger of how the media could be treated during and after the critical election.