AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ADVISORY AI index: AMR 27/002/2012

09 March 2012

UN human rights body evaluates the Dominican Republic

Authorities in the Dominican Republic must tackle the alarming levels of human rights violations in the country, particularly by the police, by ensuring those responsible are brought to justice, Amnesty International said ahead of the country’s appearance in front of a UN human rights body. The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee will evaluate the Dominican Republic’s human rights performance on 12 and 13 March. “The state of human rights in the Dominican Republic is extremely concerning,” said Chiara Liguori, Caribbean researcher at Amnesty International. "In many cases, the Dominican Republic has good laws that protect its people, the problem is that they are not effectively implemented.” On 12th March, authorities from the Dominican Republic will present a document detailing measures taken to comply with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects human rights such as those not to be tortured or not to suffer discrimination. Amnesty International presented the Committee with a briefing report looking at some of the main human rights issues facing people in the Caribbean island – including the alarming levels of police killings and cases of torture by police, discrimination of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian origin, the high levels of violence against women and threats against journalists. Other human rights organizations also presented shadow reports. “Over the years, we have documented how the most vulnerable sectors of society, including women and girls, suffer alarming levels of violence and discrimination while rarely anyone is brought to justice for the abuses and insufficient efforts are dedicated to preventing these abuses,” said Chiara Liguori. “The challenge ahead is a difficult one but there are a lot of things authorities in the Dominican Republic can and should do to improve human rights in the country. Ensuring those who commit abuses face justice would be a good first step.” Based on its review, the UN Human rights Committee will formulate a number of observations and recommendations the authorities of the Dominican Republic are expected to act on in order to improve the states’ compliance with its obligations under the ICCPR. Last time the Human Rights Committee evaluated the Dominican Republic’s human rights record was in 2001.The Dominican Republic ratified the Covenant in 1978. Note to Editors For a full copy of Amnesty International’s submission to the UN Human Rights Committee on the Dominican Republic, please see: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR27/001/2012/en For the state report by the Dominican Republic on the measures it has taken to implement the Covenant and alternative reports presented by other NGOs to the UN Human Rights Committee, please see: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/hrcs104.htm In October 2011, Amnesty International published a report looking at police abuse in the Dominican Republic. A copy of available on: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/dominican-republic-urged-tackle-alarming-levels-police-abuse-2011-10-25 For more information or to arrange an interview with Amnesty International’s expert on the Caribbean, please contact: Josefina Salomon, +44 778 472 116, jsalomon@amnesty.org ENDs