Legal Action Against UN-Sanctioned Individuals: Me Verly Sylvestre Deems Justice Minister's Approach Illegal
By Gedeon Delva · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
On May 12, 2025, the Minister of Justice and Public Security instructed the Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince, Frantz Monclair, to take urgent measures against all individuals sanctioned under the United Nations regime, including the freezing of all their accounts as well as those belonging to their accomplices.
Me Verly Sylvestre, a lawyer at the Port-au-Prince bar, deems the approach taken by the Minister of Justice, Me Pélissier, illegal. During an interview with our editorial team, the legal expert admitted that the Haitian state has the prerogative to freeze the accounts of any person taking actions against the country.
Regarding the Procedure
According to Me Sylvestre, the Minister should first adopt a ministerial decree to transpose the United Nations decision into a national context before making his decision, which he considers illegal. "In light of the decree of April 30, 2023, the Haitian state can freeze the assets of all these individuals. In this case, the Minister of Justice is at the heart of everything, not the Government Commissioner. Before any freezing of assets of individuals sanctioned by the United Nations, the Minister should adopt a ministerial decree to transpose the UN decision, the names of 7 gang leaders, into a national context," he stated, specifying that accounts of sanctioned individuals cannot be frozen before this step. The Competence of the Decision
After the transposition of the United Nations decision, the Minister, through another decree, will be able to freeze the accounts. The Government Commissioner is not competent to make this decision, Me Sylvestre stated. "It is the Minister himself who must make this decision," he insisted. In October 2022, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2653, establishing a sanctions regime in response to the security situation in Haiti. This sanctions regime imposes a travel ban, asset freezes, and a targeted arms embargo. Politicians, businessmen, and gang leaders are concerned by this due to their alleged financial support for armed gangs, drug trafficking, money laundering, among other reasons.
According to Me Sylvestre, the Minister should first adopt a ministerial decree to transpose the United Nations decision into a national context before making his decision, which he considers illegal. "In light of the decree of April 30, 2023, the Haitian state can freeze the assets of all these individuals. In this case, the Minister of Justice is at the heart of everything, not the Government Commissioner. Before any freezing of assets of individuals sanctioned by the United Nations, the Minister should adopt a ministerial decree to transpose the UN decision, the names of 7 gang leaders, into a national context," he stated, specifying that accounts of sanctioned individuals cannot be frozen before this step. The Competence of the Decision
After the transposition of the United Nations decision, the Minister, through another decree, will be able to freeze the accounts. The Government Commissioner is not competent to make this decision, Me Sylvestre stated. "It is the Minister himself who must make this decision," he insisted. In October 2022, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2653, establishing a sanctions regime in response to the security situation in Haiti. This sanctions regime imposes a travel ban, asset freezes, and a targeted arms embargo. Politicians, businessmen, and gang leaders are concerned by this due to their alleged financial support for armed gangs, drug trafficking, money laundering, among other reasons.
