Bodies of 2 Haiti Journalists Murdered by Gang Recovered; UNESCO Says 55 Journalists Killed Globally in 2021

The bodies of two journalists in Haiti allegedly killed by a gang were recovered on the outskirts of the capital Port-au-Prince on Friday.

A source in Haiti's security forces told CNN that the bodies of Wilgens Louis Saint and John Wesley Amady were retrieved from the mountainous terrain of the Laboule 12 neighborhood.

According to the BBC, gangs are fighting for control of the area because of a road that passes through it, connecting Port-au-Prince to the country's south.

The road is reportedly under the control of one of Haiti's most powerful gangs, a rival of the Baz Ti Makak gang. The source told CNN that members of Haiti's National Police were not able to go to the crime scene on Thursday because of security concerns.

Due to a lack of resources, the source added that the cops were concerned that they could be in danger from gangs operating in the area. To date, local officials have yet to identify which gang is responsible for the death of the two Haitian journalists.

Journalists in Haiti Killed By Gang Not Burned

Initial information from Haitian National Police said the two journalists were killed on Thursday as they traveled to the area and had been burned alive.

In a statement on Thursday, Radio Ecoute FM, Amady's employer, has also said that he had been "savagely" killed and burned alive while reporting on the area.

However, images of the remains obtained by CNN show no signs of being burnt, but one of the journalists was seen with a gunshot wound in his right temple.

The source confirmed that the bodies were not burned, and no National Police members were able to go to the crime scene. Radio Ecoute FM also acknowledged the error and said Amady's remains had now been returned to Les Cayes city.

According to Al Jazeera, a third journalist was with Amady and Louis Saint at the time, who managed to escape.

"We condemn in the strongest terms this criminal and barbaric act, which constitutes a serious attack on the rights to life in general, and to those of journalists in particular to exercise their profession freely in the country," radio station's director general Francky Attis said in a statement.

The death of the two journalists in Haiti came as the country battles with extreme violence and deteriorating security conditions in Port-au-Prince, with rival gangs battling one another or the police.

According to reports, Haiti's security situation sharply declined after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July. Law enforcement have been reportedly largely ineffective and failed to organize any large-scale operations to address gang violence in the country.

Haiti has also seen an increase in kidnappings for ransom in the past year. According to the Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights in Port-au-Prince, at least 950 kidnappings were recorded in 2021.

UNESCO: 55 Journalists Killed in 2021

Latest UN data showed Thursday that at least 55 journalists were killed worldwide. UNESCO said impunity for killing journalists is "alarmingly widespread."

Most deaths reportedly occurred in just two regions, Asia-Pacific, with 23 killings, and Latin America and the Caribbean, with 14. The UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists noted that two-thirds of victims died in countries with no armed conflict.

"Once again in 2021, far too many journalists paid the ultimate price to bring truth to light... The world needs independent, factual information more than ever. We must do more to ensure that those who work tirelessly to provide this can do so without fear," said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: WorldView: 2 Journalists Killed by Gang in Haiti - From CBS News