Dominican Constitutional Court data protection rulings

The Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic has issued rulings that limit the scope of data protection claims against institutional and media entities.

In September 2026, the Court restricted the ‘right to be forgotten’ by ruling that media organizations cannot be compelled to remove truthful, legitimate news of public interest via habeas data actions, even if the content causes personal harm. This decision followed a rejected appeal by former diplomat Ronal Beldor, who sought the removal of reports regarding a past investigation. The Court found the information was based on official sources and concerned matters of public interest.

In October 2026, the Court declared an unconstitutionality action inadmissible regarding the retention of canceled debt histories. The Dominican Association for Data Protection (ADPD) had challenged a 10-year retention period in the Superintendency of Banks' Risk Center, arguing it violated privacy and data protection rights. The Court ruled the challenge could not proceed because the ADPD failed to demonstrate a direct link between its organizational purpose and the contested law, failing to establish the necessary standing.