Haiti Launches Judicial Training on New Penal Codes in Les Cayes

Justice Minister Patrick Pélissier officially launched a national training program for judicial stakeholders on Haiti's new Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure in Les Cayes, the country's third-largest city, according to haitilibre.com. The ceremony, held at the Kayah-Belah Hotel, marked the start of preparations for the new legal instruments, which are set to take effect on January 1, 2027. Pélissier said the reform aims to move beyond the previous penal framework and place human dignity at the center of justice, noting the 2027 deadline announced by the Prime Minister at the United Nations last September requires methodical preparation. He stressed the reform modernizes legislation, some of which dates back nearly 200 years. Sabine Boucher, President of the Commission for the Implementation of the New Codes, said the initiative goes beyond knowledge transfer, aiming to transform professional practices and strengthen coordination among magistrates, prosecutors and the National Police. The first phase runs from November 3 to November 20, 2026, in the Southern Department, with six sessions through December 11, 2026, targeting 40% of first-instance magistrates and 40% of police investigators. Activities began simultaneously in Les Cayes, involving 20 magistrates, and at the National Police Academy in Frères. Sessions will be led by instructors trained at France's École Nationale de la Magistrature and by code drafters Jean Joseph Exumé and René Magloire.