Journalists remembered their dead colleagues with voices and banners in the streets of Port-au-Prince. | Photo: alterpresse.org

Port-au-Prince, November 15 (RHC)-- Journalists, communicators and social groups marched through the streets of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, to demand an end to murders and police violence against journalists in the exercise of their duties, local media reported.

Convened by the Colectivo de Medios de Comunicación en Línea (CMEL), the demonstrators denounced the death of eight colleagues so far this year at the hands of security forces and criminal gangs.  "We are here as lawyers to denounce police brutality against journalists and to ask the General Inspectorate of the HNP (Haitian National Police) to follow up on the case of the murder of journalist Romelson Vilsaint," a participant in the march told the press.

The dozens of attendees left the Champ de Mars, in the center of the capital, and walked to the Delmas 33 police station where Vilsaint was killed to lay a wreath.  Vilsaint was shot while protesting the arbitrary detention of a colleague, according to witnesses.

The journalists also threatened the police not to cover any press conference of the institution if they resist investigating this case and other similar ones that have occurred during the last few months.

In addition to Vilsaint, the demonstrators remembered by means of voices and banners the rest of the recent victims of the guild such as Wilguens Louissaint, Amady John Wesley, Lazarre Maximilien, Tayson Latigue, Frantzsen Charles, Garry Tess and Fritz Dorilas.

Humanitarian organizations and renowned journalists from all over the world joined the demands and demanded the authorities to put an end to impunity for uniformed officers and members of armed gangs who should be brought to justice for recurrent aggressions against media professionals in that country.