Santo Domingo.– The Senate of the Republic approved this Friday, in an extraordinary session, the modifications to the draft Organic Law of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPP) sent by the Chamber of Deputies. The piece was unanimously sanctioned by the 28 legislators present.
The initiative, submitted by senators
Cristóbal Venerado Castillo, Félix Bautista, Antonio Taveras Guzmán and Omar Fernández, incorporates adjustments that strengthen constitutional guarantees, due process, and the protection of human dignity, in addition to modernizing the administration of justice with more agile, transparent, and efficient mechanisms.
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The President of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos, highlighted the legislative body's commitment to the approval of laws that reinforce fundamental rights. He also called on the population to offer objective criticisms of the reform, while acknowledging the arduous work carried out by the special commission in charge of studying the project.
Main Modifications
The reform contains
60 articles and updates procedural deadlines, criteria for coercive measures, rules on arraignment, attributions of the execution judge, and definitions of the natural judge. It also reinforces the protection of the right to liberty and due process, and harmonizes concepts with the new Penal Code.
The piece establishes measures based on the principle of minimal criminal intervention and the immediate application of procedural rules, except when they are unfavorable to the defendant. It also promotes speed through agreements at all stages of the process.
The study of the project involved
118 hours of work, distributed over 14 meetings of the special commission, 18 of the subcommittee, and four technical review sessions.
Other approvals
In the session, the Senate also welcomed in a single reading the Executive Branch's observation on the Law that modifies Law 225-20 on comprehensive solid waste management. The proposal will be sent to the Chamber of Deputies for its continuity.
Before concluding, the Plenary observed a minute of silence in memory of the deceased Felipe Corporán, Mario Ureña, Víctor Suárez Henríquez, and Olegario Lantigua.
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