Haiti: Religious organization announces release of kidnapped US citizens Aug. 9 /update 1

Event

A religious organization that operates a school and conducts charitable activities in Haiti announced Aug. 9 that two US citizens who were kidnapped the morning of July 27 from the organization's campus near Port-au-Prince have been released. The statement does not indicate whether a ransom was paid or under what circumstances the hostages were released.

Context

The two victims of the abduction were the director of the religious organization's wife, who serves as the school's nurse, as well as the couple's child, and the kidnapping was likely conducted by a local gang as a way of pressuring the director into making a ransom payment to the criminal organization. The threat of kidnapping in Haiti is extreme, fueled by the presence of heavily armed gangs and the poor economic and security situations in the country. Although kidnappers are most likely to target locals, foreign nationals are also targets. The most common types of kidnapping in Haiti include basic, opportunistic kidnapping for ransom, express kidnapping, and virtual kidnapping. Foreign victims are usually released unharmed and relatively quickly; however, local victims face a threat of injury or death during confinement. The kidnapping threat is most acute in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien.

Advice

Continue to exercise a high degree of vigilance in the Port-au-Prince area due to the threat of attacks and kidnappings. Do not discuss plans and routes publicly. If operating in the area in the long term, vary routes and times of travel and ensure the use of secure transport. Maintain contact with diplomatic representations.