Early Friday, August 16, 2024, following a mutiny in the Saint-Marc prison (Dept. of Artibonite), (90 km north of Port-au-Prince), which was reportedly triggered due to the deplorable conditions of detention, including starvation and health problems. 15 detainees were killed in an escape attempt and others injured, the number of which has not been specified according to prison officials. Only one police officer was injured in the foot according to Me Venson François, the Government Commissioner.

An undetermined number of detainees are on the run.

According to initial evidence and testimonies, the prisoners allegedly mutinied during the showers before 8:00 a.m., against the agents of the National Penitentiary Administration (APN) whom they disarmed before vandalizing and setting fire to, among other things, the administration offices, archives, the infirmary and the prison staff dormitory before to open cells with a sledgehammer and then loot the weapons and ammunition depot.

The police forces informed of the situation quickly intervened. For several hours gunshots were heard in the prison and outside where the police were in pursuit of the escapees, several of whom were armed.

Friday afternoon, Me Venson François confirmed that the situation was once again under the control of the police authorities, stressing that the prison, which housed approximately 505 inmates (according to the Prosecutor's Office of the Saint-Marc jurisdiction), had suffered significant damage.

The national police have not yet reacted publicly to this escape...

PI/ TB/ HaitiLibre