In a decree published in the official journal, Le Moniteur, on December 31, 2025, the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) and the Government, in its Council of Ministers, decided, at their own discretion, the limits within which the population and press workers must exercise their right to freedom of expression, while also providing for severe penalties for defamation and press offenses.

The CPT reiterates that freedom of expression is guaranteed and protected, in accordance with the Constitution, international treaties ratified by the Republic of Haiti, and the laws, but qualifies this by stipulating that this freedom of expression must be exercised "[...] with respect for human dignity, public order, national security, public health, the protection of youth and children, heritage and social values, as well as the fundamental rights of others." (Articles 3 and 4)

Art. 6. "Any allegation or imputation of a fact that harms the honor or reputation of another person or of the body to which the fact is imputed constitutes defamation and is punishable by imprisonment for one to three years and a fine of twenty-five thousand (25,000) to fifty thousand (50,000) gourdes. This offense, committed by the same means against a person or group of persons on account of their origin or their membership or non-membership of a particular ethnic group, Nation, race, or religion, or on account of their political opinions, is punishable by imprisonment for two (2) to three (3) years and a fine of fifty thousand (50,000) to one hundred thousand (100,000) gourdes.

Art. 8: "The following offenses, committed by any of the means listed in Article 7, constitute press or online communication offenses :

• Defamation;

• Insult;

• Spreading false news likely to disturb public order or incite violence or hatred against others;

• Cyberbullying, understood as any repeated act by electronic means intended to disturb the peace or infringe upon the dignity of others;

• Hate speech, defined as any incitement to violence, discrimination, or hatred based on race, color, sex, religion, opinion or political affiliation, national or social origin, or any other protected characteristic."

Article 10 : "Press offenses are punishable by imprisonment from six (6) months to three (3) years and a fine of one hundred thousand (100,000) Gourdes [...]"

Article 11 : "Insults or defamation against any person holding a legislative, executive, or administrative office, or against a judicial authority, whether appointed or elected, permanent or temporary, paid or unpaid, and regardless of their hierarchical level, or against members of the Public Force, by reason of their duties, are punishable by a fine from one hundred thousand (100,000) to five hundred thousand (500,000) Gourdes and imprisonment from six (6) months to three (3) years, without prejudice to more severe penalties for contempt."

Insulting the emblem or symbols of the Republic, or desecrating tangible or intangible elements of the National Heritage, is punishable by a fine of five million (5,000,000) to twenty million (20,000,000) gourdes and ten (10) to twenty (20) years of forced labor.

Insulting or defaming Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines or any other Hero of National Independence is punishable by a fine of five million (5,000,000) to ten million (10,000,000) gourdes and a prison sentence of five (5) to ten (10) years."

Download the full Decree (PDF in French, 7 pages) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Decret-la-liberte-dexpression-repression-des-delits-de-diffamation-et-de-presse.pdf

S/ HaitiLibre