Overview:
Mario Joseph, managing attorney at the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, died on March 31 after a car accident. He was widely recognized for his legal work in Haiti and internationally.
Mario Joseph, a Haitian attorney who spent more than 30 years working on high-profile human rights cases, died March 31 after a car accident. He was 62.
Joseph served as managing attorney of the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) in Port-au-Prince from 1996 until his death. He was known for representing victims of political violence, sexual abuse, and international negligence, including cases involving the 1994 Raboteau massacre, cholera victims who blamed U.N. peacekeepers for introducing the disease to Haiti, and women who pursued child support claims against U.N. personnel.
Under Joseph’s leadership, BAI handled cases that reached both national and international forums. Notably, he helped bring the first Haitian case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. He also worked with immigration authorities in the U.S. on deportation proceedings against former Haitian military officers accused of human rights violations.
Joseph was born in 1963 in Verrettes, in Haiti’s Artibonite region. Raised in a rural household with limited resources, he earned scholarships to attend Haiti’s prestigious teachers college, École Normale Supérieure, and later the Gonaïves Law School.
His legal career was marked by advocacy on behalf of Haiti’s marginalized populations. He also focused on developing the next generation of Haitian lawyers through a training program at BAI. Alumni of that initiative have gone on to work in the legal system, civil society, and academia in Haiti and abroad.
In addition to his legal practice, Joseph earned several international awards, including the Judith Lee Stronach Human Rights Award from the Center for Justice & Accountability and honorary doctorates from U.S. universities.
Over the years, Joseph was the target of threats and harassment, particularly when involved in politically sensitive cases. He continued to work despite periods of state surveillance and intimidation.
At the time of his death, Joseph was being treated at the University of the Aristide Foundation for Democracy Hospital, with support from Zanmi Lasante and Partners in Health.
He is survived by his three daughters. Funeral arrangements have not been made public. The Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), a longtime partner of BAI, said it plans to host a virtual memorial at a later date.
“We do know that Mario’s fight will continue,” said Brian Concannon, IJDH co-founder and executive director, in a statement on behalf of BAI and IJDH.
“The staff of both BAI and IJDH are devastated by this loss but are committed to extending Mario’s legacy of uncompromising advocacy for the rights of Haiti’s impoverished minority,” Concannon added. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with everyone else who is inspired by Mario’s legacy.”