Port-au-Prince, Tuesday, July 7, 2026 — On the fifth anniversary of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the Collectif Défenseurs Plus calls on Haitian authorities to accelerate the pursuit of justice, strengthen security, and set the country on a path back to constitutional order.
In a note published on July 6, 2026, the organization contends that persistent impunity and the absence of democratically elected institutions continue to fuel the multidimensional crisis gripping Haiti.
Five years after the magnicide carried out on the night of July 6–7, 2021, at the head of state’s private residence in Pèlerin 5, the judicial case remains unresolved on national soil.
For Défenseurs Plus, this assassination remains “one of the most striking symbols of the collapse of Haitian institutions,” exposing deep flaws in the security and judicial apparatus.
The human rights defense organization stresses that since this tragedy, the security situation has deteriorated considerably. Armed groups have strengthened their hold over several regions of the country, while kidnappings, massacres, forced population displacements, and violations of fundamental rights continue to affect thousands of Haitians.
Although several magistrates have successively overseen the investigation, the Haitian inquiry is advancing slowly. No final closing order has yet been issued, despite proceedings having been initiated against around twenty suspects, including several former Colombian soldiers. Insecurity, threats against magistrates, and investigative difficulties are regularly cited as the main obstacles.
Nevertheless, the Collectif Défenseurs Plus commends the work of Judge Jean Denis Cyprien, who was assigned by the Port-au-Prince Court of Appeal to conduct further investigations. It encourages him to pursue his inquiries “with independence, impartiality, and diligence” in order to identify not only the actual perpetrators but also the masterminds and all accomplices in the crime.
U.S. progress does not replace Haitian justice
Unlike the investigation conducted in Haiti, the proceedings in the United States have seen several significant developments. U.S. authorities, who have jurisdiction due to the alleged planning and financing of the operation from Florida, have already convicted several individuals involved in the plot.
In May 2026, a federal jury in Miami found Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages guilty of participating in the conspiracy to kidnap or assassinate the Haitian president. Prior to that verdict, five other defendants, including former Colombian soldiers and a former Haitian senator, had already been sentenced to life in prison.
For Défenseurs Plus, these decisions represent important advances in the fight against impunity, but they cannot absolve the Haitian justice system of its responsibility to establish the full truth about this historic crime.
Four recommendations to emerge from the crisis
In response to this situation, the Collective puts forward four major recommendations. First, it calls for accelerating the judicial processing of the case in order to identify, prosecute, and judge all material and intellectual authors, as well as their accomplices.
The organization also recommends strengthening the capacities of the Haitian judiciary and international judicial cooperation so as to effectively combat impunity.
By Marie Farah Fortuné and Darbouze Figaro
