Spokesman for the ruling PLD party Gustavo Sanchez rejected the charge made by Miguel Franjul, executive editor of Listin Diario newspaper, at the semi-annual Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) press meeting held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 29 to 31 March 2019. Franjul denounced the recently passed Political Parties Law and Electoral Regime Law as threats to freedom of speech in the Dominican Republic during political campaign times. Sanchez says any complaints should be taken to the Constitutional Court. The Dominican Republic semi-annual press report to the IAPA said that the limitations to free speech in the new laws “have awakened fears of a resurgence of censorship mechanisms in the country.” Franjul also denounced that the ruling PLD party legislators, with the backing of several PRM opposition party legislators, are drafting other bills that would also curtail freedom of speech.
Franjul highlighted that the Electoral Regime Law contemplates penalties of up to 10 years in prison for crimes of defamation and insult committed against candidates, groups and political parties, and from 3 to 10 years to those who violate ethical, legal and constitutional rules on the use of printed media and digital communications. He said both this law and the Political Parties Law criminalize with up to 10 years in jail “negative comments” made against candidates. Franjul explained that “negative comments” in the law is anything that the candidate understands could harm political aspirations, even when the statement is true.
Likewise, Franjul said an electoral observatory has been proposed to determine what is false and what is true. Franjul says the observatory could be another attempt against freedom of speech.
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IAPA
3 April 2019
