Hundreds of people demanded improvements to the Criminal Code, and make it “modern” and “guarantor of rights” in the Dominican Republic, which includes, among other things, the three cases in which abortion would be allowed in the country.

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During a rally in front of the National Palace, demonstrators demanded in a document read from the press the adoption of a Penal Code that would protect the rights of women, girls and vulnerable populations, demanded the criminalization of feminicide and aggravated feminicide, recognition of privileged self-defense in cases of gender-based violence, and severe sanctions for the use of chemical substances as a method of torture.

The document also highlighted the urgency of making child sexual abuse offences imprescriptible, the elimination of criminal immunity for churches, and criminal liability for companies in cases of harassment and discrimination.

Este domingo 25 de agosto, cientos de dominicanos se congregaron frente al Palacio Nacional para exigir la aprobación de un Código Penal que proteja de manera efectiva los derechos de mujeres, niñas y poblaciones vulnerables en la República Dominicana.

La manifestación, que unió… pic.twitter.com/acgkK5vewt

— Somos Pueblo Media (@RDSomosPueblo) August 25, 2024

In addition, people urged the inclusion of ‘three causes’ in abortion cases as a legitimate right and a matter of human dignity for Dominican women in the new law.

In the Dominican Republic, abortion is prohibited under all circumstances, and it has long been demanded that abortions be allowed when the pregnancy is the product of rape or incest, the life of the mother is in danger or there are foetal malformations incompatible with life, known as ‘three causes’.

After the demonstration, the formation of the “Popular Legislative Initiative for a Better Code” which will lead a campaign to collect signatures in support of this cause.

The new draft Penal Code, which has been in the bicameral National Congress for years, was approved in July by the Senate to include the issue of abortion, but it remained pending before the Chamber of Deputies.

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