UN says human rights situation in Haiti is 'extremely worrying'

U.N. Secretary-General spokesperson Farhan Haq said that the human rights situation in Haiti is "extremely worrying," as gang violence overwhelms the Caribbean country.

Briefing reporters on Friday, Haq reported that at least 1,520 people were killed and 609 injured in armed violence between April and June. During the same time period, Haq says at least 185 kidnappings and 628 victims of sexual violence were reported.

"OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) urges immediate support to sustain and expand our overall response to protect the most vulnerable," Haq said.

From October 2024 to June 2025, more than 4,800 people across Haiti were killed by gang violence. Hundreds more have been injured, kidnapped, raped and trafficked, according to the United Nations. Gang violence also has displaced more than 1.3 million people in recent years.

Haiti hasn’t held general elections in almost a decade, with its last president, Jovenel Moïse, slain at his private residence in July 2021. Gang violence has since surged in the aftermath of the slaying.