Dominican protesters rally against a proposed set of laws on abortion, corruption and rights
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Winnipeg Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*$1 will be added to your next bill. After your 4 weeks access is complete your rate will increase by $0.00 a X percent off the regular rate.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Dozens of protesters gathered in front of the Dominican Republic’s congressional building on Thursday to rally against proposed new laws that would uphold an abortion ban, allow discrimination based on sexual orientation and exempt churches, municipalities and others from criminal liability.
The conservative Caribbean country currently operates on a penal code dating from 1884, and efforts to reform it in the past 23 years have failed.
“It’s a code that has many setbacks in terms of rights,” said Sergia Galván Ortega, with the Coalition for Women’s Lives and Rights.
She joined the demonstrators on Thursday who demanded that abortion be allowed in cases of rape, incest or fatal fetal abnormalities.
The Dominican Republic is currently one of only a handful of countries with an absolute abortion ban. Others include Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador.
Thursday’s protest was especially important to some Dominicans given that the government cannot be held criminally responsible for the recent collapse of a nightclub’s roof that killed more than 230 people.
While the nightclub’s owner and his sister were detained, many were outraged that the government cannot be held liable — not under the current or the proposed new penal code.
Protesters also noted that the proposed penal code does not recognize marital rape and would allow physical violence against children if the adult does not demonstrate a pattern of aggression. It also calls for lesser prison time for child sex abuse cases with no penetration.
“That’s terrible,” said Natalia Mármol, an activist and member of the women’s coalition.
The proposed code was fast-tracked in commission and is expected to be approved by the Dominican Senate and Chamber of Deputies. It would then go to President Luis Abinader, who several years ago said he supports allowing abortion under certain circumstances.
A decade ago, former President Danilo Medina vetoed a different proposed penal code, demanding that abortion be allowed under certain circumstances. Lawmakers amended the code, but a court eventually struck it down amid opposition from religious officials.