Garry Tesse Murder Case: SOS Journalistes Calls on Conille Government To Stop Endorsing Impunity

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- SOS Journalistes is disappointed with the attitude of Garry Conille's government, which seems to have decided to endorse impunity and tolerate crime by keeping in office a government commissioner involved in the cowardly assassination, in October 2022, of a journalist in the town of Les Cayes.

Indeed, the investigation into the assassination of journalist Garry Tesse is completely blocked due to the behavior of the government of Prime Minister Garry Conille, which still refuses to dismiss the incriminated commissioner, Ronald Richemond, who continues to threaten with death other journalists who demand justice for the fiercely martyred colleague, before being eliminated.

SOS Journalistes had welcomed, at the end of June, with satisfaction the sidelining of Commissioner Richemond, believing in a renewal at the level of political governance. However all this seems to have been a posture which brings nothing but disillusionment.

SOS Journalistes calls on the government to take very seriously the cases of murdered journalists, which constitute direct attacks on democracy and freedoms acquired at the cost of enormous sacrifices.

Let's rebember that journalist Garry Tesse, who hosted a program on Lebon FM in the town of Les Cayes, was first reported missing on October 18, 2022, and his mutilated and lifeless body was discovered on October 24 of the same year in the locality of Foco.

The behavior of the Conille government worries SOS Journalistes; and the organization plans to soon launch a large protest movement against the complacent attitude of the government of Prime Minister Garry Conille.

SOS Journalistes reminds the government of the need to put the cases of murdered journalists among its priorities.

Done in Port-au-Prince, August 8, 2024

Joseph Guyler C. Delva

Secretary General of SOS Journalistes Haiti