Tribunal Rules against Abortion Decriminalization in Dominican Republic
A change to the Dominican Republic’s Penal Code that would have made abortion accessible under limited circumstances was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Tribunal of the Supreme Court in December, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. President Danilo Medina had signed the change to the current complete ban on abortion in December 2014, and it was due to take effect one year later.
Argentina’s Catholic News Agency (AICA) reported that “the Court’s decision was a constant request of the bishops.” According to AICA, in April, Dominican bishops invoked a day of prayer, asking to grant “wisdom to the judges” so that “they will decide in favor of life and respect our Constitution.”
The Latin American Network of Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, representing Catholic women from 11 countries, wrote to President Medina to congratulate him on his 2014 decision because “it has been demonstrated that making abortion illegal in all circumstances worsens discrimination, violence and social injustice….”