By Emmanuel Joseph, Vant Bèf info, Sept. 3, 2026
They had come to show the pain of a grieving community, to gather testimonies, and to help the rest of the country understand what had happened in Kenscoff. But on Wednesday, several journalists were attacked while simply doing their jobs. Among them were Associated Press photojournalist Odelyn Joseph and Agence France-Presse journalist Clarens Siffroy.
Professionals who already risk their safety to inform the public were attacked, beaten, and, according to eyewitness accounts, forced to seek refuge at the Kenscoff police station. They had come to photograph the victims; they themselves became targets. How far will it take for violence against journalists to cease being considered a mere incident?
The anger and trauma of the people of Kenscoff are understandable. But nothing can justify a journalist being beaten for doing their job. A reporter is not responsible for a massacre. A photographer is not responsible for insecurity. And a camera cannot be treated as a threat simply because it shows a disturbing reality.
The most worrying issue, however, lies elsewhere: where are the leading voices in the Haitian media sector? Where are the associations meant to defend journalists? Where is the collective mobilization? Where are the concrete actions to support the professionals who have been attacked?
At least two associations active in the sector have indeed taken a stand and denounced these attacks. These are the Online Media Collective (CMEL) and the Union of Journalists and Media of Haiti (UJMH).
But for years, journalists have worked in fear, under threats, intimidation, and sometimes at the risk of their lives. With each new attack, condemnations follow. Then silence returns, until the next victim.
Press freedom associations cannot simply defend freedom of expression in press releases.
Freedom of the press is also defended on the ground, alongside those who sometimes risk their lives for it. It is defended by demanding investigations, holding those responsible accountable, and supporting victims. A profession that leaves its members to face violence alone ultimately sends a terrible message: everyone is left to fend for themselves to survive.
The government and security authorities must also be held accountable. When journalists are attacked while covering a public event, their safety cannot be treated as a secondary issue. The state has a duty to guarantee the conditions that allow the press to work. Impunity only encourages further attacks.
Kenscoff should send a real shockwave through the Haitian media landscape. It's no longer enough to issue a statement after the damage has already been done. Journalists must be protected before they become victims. Above all, organizations that present themselves as defenders of the press must demonstrate, in times of crisis, that they truly stand with journalists.
They had come to recount Kenscoff's suffering. They were attacked in turn. And today, a weighty and embarrassing question remains: if press freedom organizations don't stand up when journalists are beaten, when will they?
Posted Sept. 16, 2026
Posted Sept. 16, 2026