Breaking: Former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant Denounces Canadian Sanctions

Former Haitian PM Jean-Henry Céant Denounces Canadian Sanctions, Appeals to Ottawa Officials

Former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant has publicly rejected sanctions imposed by the Canadian government and appealed directly to Canadian diplomatic authorities to reverse the measures, his legal representatives said. HaitiLibre.com

Céant, who served as Haiti’s prime minister from 2018 to 2019, was placed on Canada’s sanctions list in November 2022, alongside other Haitian political figures accused of involvement in human rights violations and support for illegal armed groups. The sanctions include asset freezes and restrictions on dealings in Canada. Wikipedia+1

In a letter sent last week to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, Céant’s Montreal-based legal counsel argued there is an “absence of evidence” supporting his inclusion on the sanctions list and urged Ottawa to provide formal justification for the designation. His lawyers also requested a meeting with Canadian officials to review the basis for the sanctions and seek their removal. HaitiLibre.com

Céant’s legal push comes as his financial accounts remain blocked in Haiti, and he has sought legal documentation from Haitian banking authorities related to the sanctions’ implementation. HaitiLibre.com

The Canadian sanctions in question were part of a broader set of measures announced by Ottawa targeting several Haitian leaders accused of enabling criminal activity linked to armed gangs, including former president Michel Martelly and former prime ministers Laurent Salvador Lamothe and Céant. Reuters

Further developments or official responses from Canadian authorities have not yet been released.

Sources: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38216-haiti-politic-details-of-canadian-sanctions-on-listed-haitians.html
– Haitian former Prime Minister
– HaitiLibre 9/12/25
– Port-au-Prince, Haiti