By decree of April 16, 2025, Haiti set up two Specialized Judicial Poles to modernize its justice system, targeting complex financial crimes (corruption, money laundering, embezzlement) and mass crimes (massacres, sexual violence, crimes against humanity).
Based in Port-au-Prince, with the possibility of secure relocation, these centers bring together specialized judges and dedicated appeal chambers.
Magistrates, selected for their integrity and expertise by the CSPJ, may not hold concurrent office.
Challenges remain: national extension of their jurisdiction, protection of judges against gangs, modernization of the 1979 penal code, and anti-corruption checks on magistrates.
In a context where 80% of gang-related cases go unpunished and judicial institutions are regularly attacked (e.g.: theft of evidence in the murder of Me Dorval in 2020), this reform represents hope, according to CARDH.
The government promises funds and international cooperation, but its success will depend on resources and the political will to bypass the immunities protecting the powerful.
