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Dominican Republic Advances Sweeping Penal Code Reform
The Dominican Republic’s Congress has moved forward with a comprehensive amendment to the nation’s Penal Code (Law 74‑25). The Senate approved the reform in two successive readings, endorsing 32 changes introduced by the Chamber of Deputies. Key modifications address corporate criminal liability, chemical‑substance offenses, cyber‑harassment, domestic violence, sexual exhibitionism, proxenetism, and the newly introduced article 310 on “ultraje in the judicial sphere.” The lower house previously passed the bill with a wide majority, merging and refining dozens of proposals before sending it to the Senate. While the majority of legislators supported the overhaul, some senators and opposition figures raised concerns. Senator Omar Fernández’s proposals to strengthen freedom of expression were rejected, and the president of the Dominican Bar Association, Trajano Potentini, denounced the wording of article 310 as constitutionally risky. Critics such as Deputy Alcibíades Tavárez warned that the rapid passage could leave gaps that later require correction. The reform is set to be signed by the executive after the Senate’s approval, pending final review by the President’s office.