Prominent Haitian journalist escapes assassination
Published:Wednesday | October 26, 2022 | 4:18 PM
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, CMC –The United States has condemned the attack on journalists in Haiti as prominent media worker, Roberson Alphonse, is recovering in hospital after he was shot in his car while on his way to work in the capital on Tuesday.
Alphonse, who works at the daily newspaper Le Nouvelliste and radio station Magik9, has already undergone two operations and according to his editor, Frantz Duval, is expected to survive.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Tess Garry and the attack on Roberson Alphonse. The United States Embassy in Haiti wishes Roberson Alphonse a speedy recovery. We strongly condemn all attacks on journalists. The United States are committed to protecting and advancing freedom of the press,” the US Embassy said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the authorities found the body of Garry who had been missing for several days. He used to host a political talk show in the southern city of Les Cayes, according to the government's Office of Citizen Protection, which said it was extremely worried about the security of journalists in Haiti.
The Ministry of Culture and Communication said it learned “with horror the news of the assassination attempt” that occurred in the Delmas neighbourhood, adding Alphonse's rigour, his effort to be impartial, and his sense of perfection makes him a model for the profession.
Media reports said that the gunmen fired several shots at the vehicle and Duval thanked an unidentified person he said rescued Alphonse and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding before medical help arrived.
Observers say the incident highlights the deteriorating security situation in a country racked by gang violence and opposition demands for the removal of Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry, who came to office last year following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July.
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