Radio Télé Métropole Journalist Wesly Renaud Jean Kidnapped in Delmas 31

Journalist Wesly Renaud Jean of Radio Télé Métropole was kidnapped by heavily armed men on the afternoon of Sunday, September 6, 2026, in the Delmas 31 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, according to witnesses. His abduction came a day before two more prominent Haitians — attorney Caleb Jean-Baptiste and ONAPE Director General Stéphanie Paultre — were seized in a separate incident in the Artibonite department. Haitian authorities had not publicly confirmed the circumstances of Jean's abduction or his whereabouts as of September 9. Press freedom monitors noted Jean was at least the sixth journalist kidnapped in Haiti so far in 2026, underscoring the widening reach of gang violence into professional and media circles in the capital. On September 12, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) confirmed the kidnappers are seeking a ransom and had provided proof of life by telephone, according to Radio-Télé Métropole director Richard Widmaier, who also heads the National Association of Haitian Media (ANMH). CPJ Americas Regional Director José Zamora called the kidnapping "deeply alarming" and urged Haitian authorities to "act urgently to secure Jean's safe release, investigate his abduction, and take concrete steps to protect journalists from escalating violence and insecurity." As of September 14, Jean remained in captivity with no ransom figure publicly disclosed and it was still unclear whether his abduction was connected to his journalism.