The US sanctions former Haitian lawmakers for aiding gangs and human rights abuses

PORT-AU-PRINCE – The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday announced sanctions against a former member of Haiti’s Chamber of Representatives, Prophane Victor, for his role in supporting and arming gangs in the Artibonite department. Gang leader Luckson Élan, head of the Gran Grif group, was also sanctioned for his involvement in serious criminal activities.

According to OFAC, Victor and Élan’s actions contributed to serious human rights violations in Haiti. The sanctions are part of the Global Magnitsky Act and target individuals responsible for human rights violations and corruption worldwide.

A recent report by the United Nations Group of Experts on Haiti linked the former lawmaker and Gran Grif gang leader to escalating violence in several municipalities of the Artibonite region, most notably L’estère, Petite-Rivière de l’ Artibonite, Liancourt, Gros-Morne and Terre-Neuve. The report highlights rampant sexual and gender-based violence, including rape, as key methods of gang terror in Haiti.

“Advancing accountability for gender-based violence is a top priority for the U.S. government,” the State Department said in a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. “We will continue to use the Magnitsky Sanctions Program to hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable wherever they are.”

The U.S. Treasury Department said the sanctions were issued under Executive Order 13818.

History of sanctions and allegations of gang involvement

Victor, a former deputy of the Petite-Rivière constituency in the Artibonite department, has previously been sanctioned for his alleged role in gang violence. In June 2023, Canada imposed sanctions on Victor and former Artibonite senator Gracia Delva, banning them from entering Canadian territory and freezing any assets they had in Canada.

These actions were part of a broader effort by Canada and the US to target Haitian officials and political figures accused of exacerbating the country’s insecurity. Other sanctioned figures include former senators Joseph Lambert, Youri Latortue and Hervé Fourcand, as well as former deputies Gary Bodeau and Rony Célestin.

Victor has been repeatedly accused of collaborating with gangs in Haiti, especially in Savien, Artibonite, where the Gran Grif gang operates. In July 2019, Savien’s former gang leader known as Odma accused Victor of supplying him with firearms and ammunition during his campaign for office. Victor denied the allegations and no investigation into the allegations was conducted by Haitian authorities.

Local reports at the time indicated that Victor used a police inspector to support Odma’s criminal activities during his campaign. After the 2015 elections, Odma allegedly used the weapons supplied by Victor for his own purposes, leading to further violence in the region.

Escalating violence in Artibonite

The Artibonite chapter has been engulfed in gang violence in recent years, with civilians caught in the crossfire. From April to June 2024, attacks by the Gran Grif and Kokorat San Ras gangs resulted in at least 76 victims, including children, in Gros-Morne, L’Estère, Liancourt, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite and Terre Neuve. the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).

Gangs in the region have been involved in killings, kidnappings, rapes and looting, destabilizing communities and forcing thousands of residents to flee.

The US sanctions against Victor and Élan come shortly after sanctions were imposed on former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly for his alleged involvement in the global drug trade and his role in Haiti’s security and political collapse.

“Martelly abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, into the United States,” the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

Critics of the sanctions argue that they are ineffective in holding perpetrators accountable because they do not lead to criminal trials. However, others believe that sanctions are a necessary tool to put pressure on individuals involved in the Haitian crisis.

“Even if we do not consider the sanctions severe, they encourage cooperation to resolve the situation in Haiti,” said Brian Concannon, executive director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH).

Related