Dominican protesters rally against a proposed set of laws on abortion, corruption and rights

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Dozens of protesters gathered in front of the Dominican Republic’s congressional building on Thursday to rally against proposed new laws that would uphold an abortion ban, allow discrimination based on sexual orientation and exempt churches, municipalities and others from criminal liability.

The conservative Caribbean country currently operates on a penal code dating from 1884, and efforts to reform it in the past 23 years have failed.

“It’s a code that has many setbacks in terms of rights,” said Sergia Galván Ortega, with the Coalition for Women’s Lives and Rights.

She joined the demonstrators on Thursday who demanded that abortion be allowed in cases of rape, incest or fatal fetal abnormalities.

The Dominican Republic is currently one of only a handful of countries with an absolute abortion ban. Others include Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador.

Thursday’s protest was especially important to some Dominicans given that the government cannot be held criminally responsible for the recent collapse of a nightclub’s roof that killed more than 230 people.

While the nightclub’s owner and his sister were detained, many were outraged that the government cannot be held liable – not under the current or the proposed new penal code.

Protesters also noted that the proposed penal code does not recognize marital rape and would allow physical violence against children if the adult does not demonstrate a pattern of aggression. It also calls for lesser prison time for child sex abuse cases with no penetration.

“That’s terrible,” said Natalia Mármol, an activist and member of the women’s coalition.

The proposed code was fast-tracked in commission and is expected to be approved by the Dominican Senate and Chamber of Deputies. It would then go to President Luis Abinader, who several years ago said he supports allowing abortion under certain circumstances.

A decade ago, former President Danilo Medina vetoed a different proposed penal code, demanding that abortion be allowed under certain circumstances. Lawmakers amended the code, but a court eventually struck it down amid opposition from religious officials.