Antoniano Peralta receives delegation from the International Forum on Mental Health and Penitentiary System

Santo Domingo.- The Legal Consultant of the Executive Branch, Antoliano Peralta, received this Friday the director of the National Office of Support for Penitentiary Reform (ONAPREP), Roberto Santana, and the delegation of national and international experts participating in the International Forum on Mental Health and the Penitentiary System. During the meeting, Peralta expressed his satisfaction at receiving the forum participants, highlighting the relevance of the event and the importance of strengthening the link between mental health and the Dominican penitentiary system. Dr. Peralta highlighted that this type of dialogue and international cooperation represents a fundamental step towards building a more humane, just, and efficient penitentiary system.

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He also emphasized the institutional and personal connection that links him to the issue, recalling that the Ministry of Justice, in the process of creation, will be the entity responsible for directing the penitentiary system in the country.

“This commission connects us to the issue, not only on an institutional level, but also through our vocation and commitment to improving prison conditions,” Peralta pointed out.

Finally, the Legal Advisor to the Executive Branch thanked the international representatives for their visit and extended a cordial welcome on behalf of the Dominican Government.

"Foreigners, you are welcome. We are glad to have you here sharing your knowledge and experiences, which undoubtedly contribute to the strengthening of our system," he concluded.

The forum will be closed tomorrow Saturday 11th by the vice president, Raquel Peña. The legal sub-consultant, Pedro Montilla, was also present during the meeting. The event, held in coordination with the Regional Penitentiary Academy (ARP), the Prisons Forum, the Dominican College of Psychologists (CODOPSI), and the Dominican Association of Social Work Professionals (ADOPTRASOC), brought together authorities, academics, mental health professionals, and those from the penitentiary system, who addressed from a multidisciplinary perspective the main challenges, advances, and proposals in the field of mental health in contexts of deprivation of liberty.