Santo Domingo.- The president of the Senate of the Republic, Ricardo de los Santos, described as a historical and necessary for the country the approval of the new Criminal Code of the Dominican Republic yesterday by the Dominican Senate, while reaffirming the commitment of this institution with the strengthening of the justice system and democratic institutionality.
“From the Senate we have acted with a sense of responsibility, openness to dialogue and technical rigor to guarantee a modern criminal code, balanced and consistent with the values and challenges of Dominican society,” said De los Santos, referring to the legislative text.
The legislator recognized the joint effort between both Chambers of the National Congress, highlighting the spirit of collaboration that has allowed to advance significantly in a process that for years was stagnant. “This advance is not of a single chamber or a single person, it is an institutional achievement of the National Congress for the benefit of the Dominican people,” he said.
We recommend: In extraordinary legislature, the Criminal Code is converted into law
Likewise, of the saints he recalled that there is still work ahead, and promised that during the Vacatian period legis of a year that establishes the code itself, the adjustments, analysis and improvements that the Dominican society demand.
“We will do it with the same commitment that we have always demonstrated: with seriousness, openness and vision of the state,” he said.
The president of the Senate also stressed that this new criminal legislation responds to the challenges of the present, incorporating clear typifications and penalties for emerging and high social impact crimes.
The most relevant advances include the penalty of bullying (bullying), cyberbullying (cyberbullying), pyramid -fraud schemes, hiring of hitmen, corruption in all its forms, sexual abuse, and violence against women and minors, as well as new provisions on the criminal responsibility of legal persons.
This new code replaces the previous one dating from 1884, and represents an effort to update the Dominican criminal frame to the legal, social and technological reality of the 21st century.
“After more than 140 years, the Dominican Republic finally has a criminal regulatory instrument that responds to today, to the reality of the country and modern democratic standards,” he said.
Finally, the president of the Senate reiterated that the approval of this legal instrument represents a decisive advance in the modernization of the criminal regulatory framework, and opens the path to a more effective, human and transparent justice.
“We are taking a firm step towards a more just, safe and modern Dominican Republic. And we are doing it from Congress, as required by a mature and responsible democracy.”
