Dominican Republic: The Church Is Watching Penal Code Reform

The reform that had already been approved in the first reading by the deputies has also been approved by the Senate. According to the President of the Senate, “the deputies and senators have the firm intention of providing the country with a more effective and more just law,” and even if the deputies, who are currently examining the text, submit amendments, the Senate will have time to reread and approve it in due time.

The current Code, Ricardo de los Santos explains, “dates from 1884, and it is urgent to update it to add new criminal offenses.” The project, he emphasizes, includes 72 new criminal offenses, as well as the addition of sentences of up to 60 years, the Senate website says.

The Abortion Issue

But one of the points the most scrutinized by the Dominican Church is that of abortion. The Dominican Republic is almost the only country in the world where abortion is totally banned. And the Penal Code reform project prepared by the Senate has maintained this position.

In an interview with EWTN, Fr. Manuel Ruiz, national executive secretary of the Life Commission of the Dominican Episcopal Conference (CED), said that a “step forward” had been taken, according to ACI Prensa.

Fr. Ruiz continues: “Although it has not been fully approved, because the deputies who have already approved it in the first reading and the commission are still absent, we have attended public hearings, they have listened to us, and it has been approved without the three grounds that decriminalize abortion, because our Constitution does not allow it,” he explained.

Thus, “maintaining the total abortion ban, in conformity with Article 37 of the Dominican Constitution, which protects the right to life from conception until natural death” has made it possible to maintain the ban on abortion, ACI Prensa points out.

Fr. Ruiz stressed the importance of “fighting medically to save both lives,” that of the mother and that of the unborn child. “What some people want is to make abortion a right, a human right of women. But the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the same for everyone, men, women, children. Our Constitution does not allow it,” he concluded.

ACI Prensa adds that “the Penal Code project was adopted in the first reading by 20 votes for and 3 against, which shows broad support in the Senate.” 

Especially as the President of the Senate, in the aforementioned interview, has “mentioned the issue of the grounds for abortion, which he suggested be treated in a special law, in agreement with the different sectors of Dominican society,” according to the Senate website. This formulation is very concerning and suggests that a new law could take up the three grounds for decriminalization mentioned.

The Dominican Church and pro-life advocates must remain vigilant, even after the approval of the new Penal Code.