Spanish
Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader enacted this Sunday the new Penal Code of the Dominican Republic, marking a step forward that replaces the legislation that governed since 1884.
After decades of failed attempts, this new Penal Code updates a new 141-year-old legislation, which was approved by the majority political parties.
The reform also extends the statute of limitations for sexual offenses against minors and vulnerable persons to 30 years, counted from when the victim reaches the age of majority. The enacted Penal Code, in addition to imposing sanctions, incorporates a preventive and resocializing approach, recognizing citizen security as a shared responsibility between the State and society as a whole. This update equips the Dominican penal system with modern tools to confront criminality in all its forms, including organized crime, and guarantee the effective protection of victims, in line with the principles of a social and democratic rule of law. With the enactment of the new Penal Code, which will come into effect in 12 months, the Dominican Republic leaves behind an anachronistic regulatory framework and moves towards a modern justice model, focused on the protection of human rights. The new Penal Code enacted is available for reading and download at the following link: https://www.consultoria.gov.do/consulta/
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The new Criminal Code, which can be defined as a step forward, stands as a key piece for the protection of people's rights, the strengthening of citizen security, and the effective prosecution of crimes. Among its most relevant advances are:- The classification of new crimes such as femicide, contract killing, cyberbullying, economic violence, the dissemination of deepfakes for blackmail purposes, pyramid schemes, unregulated financial intermediation, incitement to suicide; all conventional cases of crimes against humanity and genocide, forced disappearance, crimes with eventual intent and conscious negligence, damages from doping, self-kidnapping, false reporting, obstruction of justice are classified, and the penalty for sexual assault within marriage or in relationships is increased.
- The increase in prison sentences up to 40 years, and even up to 60 years in the case of a combination of serious offenses.
- The creation of socio-judicial measures, which include post-sentence surveillance, registration of sexual offenders, and re-education programs for the social reintegration of offenders.
- The criminal liability of legal entities, which allows for the sanctioning of legal entities that, through negligence or acts of their representatives, commit crimes.
- More robust protection orders for victims of gender-based violence, domestic violence, or any aggression that threatens their integrity.
The reform also extends the statute of limitations for sexual offenses against minors and vulnerable persons to 30 years, counted from when the victim reaches the age of majority. The enacted Penal Code, in addition to imposing sanctions, incorporates a preventive and resocializing approach, recognizing citizen security as a shared responsibility between the State and society as a whole. This update equips the Dominican penal system with modern tools to confront criminality in all its forms, including organized crime, and guarantee the effective protection of victims, in line with the principles of a social and democratic rule of law. With the enactment of the new Penal Code, which will come into effect in 12 months, the Dominican Republic leaves behind an anachronistic regulatory framework and moves towards a modern justice model, focused on the protection of human rights. The new Penal Code enacted is available for reading and download at the following link: https://www.consultoria.gov.do/consulta/
