Lowenstein Clinic, Harvard, and NYU Clinics Call on U.S. to Address Crisis in Haiti

On June 27, the Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School, along with the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School and the Global Justice Clinic at NYU School of Law, released a joint statement calling on the U.S. government to address escalating insecurity and gang violence in Haiti, including threats against human rights defenders.

The statement urged the U.S. government “to support Haitian-led investigation of and accountability for human rights abuses; take concrete, effective steps to enforce U.S. laws on arms trafficking; and shift support from [de facto Prime Minister] Dr. Henry towards an inclusive and Haitian-led political process.”

The three “U.S. based law clinics working in solidarity with Haitian civil society” cited unprecedented levels of violence and continued targeted threats against human rights defenders, including the human rights organization Réseau National de Défense des Droits Humains. According to the statement, this violence follows American interference in Haitian political negotiations, as “the United States’ persistent support for the PTHK [Parti Haïtien Tèt Kale] despite its continuous complicity in grave human rights abuses has served to reinforce the party’s power and the growing impunity in Haiti.”

The law school clinics further condemned the U.S. government for “hindering a Haitian-led solution to the worsening political crisis.” They implored the Biden administration to prioritize support for human rights and rule of law in addressing heightened violence and insecurity in Haiti.

The Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Law Clinic is a legal clinic at Yale Law School that undertakes projects on behalf of human rights organizations and individual victims of human rights abuses.