Dominican Republic Congress rejects court action to expand abortion exemptions

Pro‑life deputies in the Dominican Republic’s National Congress publicly opposed a direct action of unconstitutionality filed before the Constitutional Court. The petition seeks to annul parts of Law No. 74‑25, which established the country’s new penal code, and to insert so‑called grounds for legal interruption of pregnancy that were debated but not approved by the legislature.

The lawmakers argued that the Constitution guarantees the right to life from conception and that such matters belong to the Congress, not to judicial rulings. They emphasized that the penal code already contains an emergency medical exemption (Article 111) protecting physicians who act to save the lives of a mother, fetus, or both when all scientific options are exhausted. The deputies warned that expanding judicially created abortion exemptions could open the door to broader de‑criminalisation, undermining constitutional protections.

Their statements highlighted concerns about legal certainty, the principle of legality, and the separation of powers, insisting that any changes to criminal penalties must be enacted by the legislature.