BRUSSELS, CMC – The European Council says it has adopted additional restrictive measures against former Haitian president Michel Martelly, as well as one entity, in view of the escalating gang violence, unremitting serious human rights abuses, and the continuing impunity for the perpetrators in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Apart from Martelly, who served as president from May 2011 until his resignation in February 2016, the European Council said it had also adopted additional measures against Youri Latortue, his former political advisor and the founder of the political party L’Ayiti An Aksyon (AAA).
It said that they both armed and financed several gangs to promote their political agenda, defend their personal and economic interests, and control the territory.
The Council also listed Rony Celestin, a former Haitian senator, who it said is involved in violence linked to armed groups and smuggling and is responsible for orchestrating the murder of the journalist Néhémie Joseph, who exposed his illegal activities and corruption.
The listed entity is Gang 5 Segond, a powerful gang based in the Village-de-Dieu neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince. According to the European Council, the 5 Segond gang is responsible for committing theft, rape, kidnapping, murder, piracy, extortion, obstruction of humanitarian aid, arms and drugs trafficking.
Those designated are subject to an asset freeze, and European Union persons and entities are forbidden from making funds, financial assets, or economic resources available to them, both directly and indirectly. In addition, individuals are subject to a travel ban to the EU,” the European Council said.
The Council said that on 28 July 2023, it amended its sanctions regime in view of the situation in Haiti, allowing the European Union (EU) to autonomously impose restrictive measures on individuals and entities responsible for threatening the peace, security, or stability of Haiti, or for undermining democracy or the rule of law in Haiti.
It said this framework complements the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council in October 2022.
On October 17, 2024, the European Council said it remained highly concerned about the situation in Haiti and called for new targeted sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for violence to help restore peace, security, stability, democracy, and the rule of law in the country.
“Haiti remains firmly on the agenda of the EU. The EU’s support is aimed at both strengthening Haiti’s institutional capacity and facilitating access to basic public services to the population in the very insecure and volatile context.
“The EU support entails macroeconomic assistance as well as assistance to education, food security and nutrition, disaster preparedness, protection and stability, including to the Haitian National Police.”
The EU said it is a long-standing political and development partner of Haiti and will continue to play its part alongside other regional partners to help face the dire situation, including the humanitarian crisis in the country.
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