Haiti kidnappings rise 42% ahead of first general elections in a decade

October 2, 2026 at 01:28 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kidnappings in Haiti rose 42% in the second quarter of 2026, with at least 81 people abducted between April and June, according to United Nations figures. The surge comes as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in more than a decade, with gangs increasingly targeting prominent figures. The violence has deepened fear even in areas once considered safe, exposing the state's inability to protect its own officials.

Key Facts

At least 81 people were reported kidnapped in Haiti between April and June 2026, a 42% rise from the first quarter.
James Boyard, police inspector general and cabinet director in Haiti’s Defence Ministry, was kidnapped in broad daylight in June from Bourdon, Port-au-Prince, and has not been released.
Haiti has not had a president since Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021.
Reported kidnappings in Haiti rose from 78 in 2019 to 2,490 in 2023, before falling to at least 2,058 in 2024.
Lawyer Dorimène Boulos held a press conference in mid-September to announce a fundraiser for the release of kidnapped lawyer Caleb Jean-Baptiste.

Election-Driven Surge

The kidnappings come as Haiti prepares for its first general elections in more than a decade. Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said elections act as accelerators, exposing cracks, failures and the state’s inability to protect even its own. Local media have also reported the kidnapping of well-known lawyer Caleb Jean-Baptiste and Stéphanie Paultre, director general of Haiti’s National Office for Educational Partnerships. Most Haitians do not report kidnappings of relatives because they fear reprisals, higher ransom demands or disruption to talks with abductors.

Kidnapping Statistics

U.N. figures show mass kidnappings in Haiti began rising sharply around 2020, when 234 cases were reported, up 200% from 78 in 2019. In 2021, 655 kidnappings were reported, a 180% increase from the previous year. Reported kidnappings rose to 1,359 in 2022 and then to 2,490 in 2023, with a U.N. report noting that gang members are increasingly resorting to wearing fake police uniforms to carry out kidnappings. In 2024, at least 2,058 people were reported kidnapped.

Public Response

In a rare public step, lawyer Dorimène Boulos held a press conference in mid-September to announce a fundraiser to help secure Jean-Baptiste’s release. Boulos said, “We don’t have the amount they’re asking for,” while declining to disclose the ransom demand. Calling for dialogue, he added, “We are condemned to live here. We don’t have another society or spare country.”