Dominican Parliament begins debate on abortion amidst protests

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The National Congress of the Dominican Republic began this Tuesday the debate on the decriminalization of abortion until now punished with jail without exceptions, amidst feminist protests and colored flags used by the deputies to demonstrate in favor or against.

The discussions on abortion, which are part of the debate on the new Penal Code, began one day after the Dominican president, Luis Abinader, announced his intention to resolve the controversial issue using a referendum, alleging that it is not only a health issue but “also a religious one”.

Most of the congressmen decorated their seats with light blue flags or handkerchiefs, the color used by the Catholic and Evangelical churches in their “pro-life” demonstrations, and a minority, about 20 legislators, had knotted green handkerchiefs to their microphones, in support of the feminist movement.

At the beginning of the session, a communiqué was read, signed by 105 deputies, slightly more than half of the Chamber, in favor of respecting life from the moment of conception, as protected in the Dominican Constitution.

REPRESSION OF THE FEMINIST DEMONSTRATION

In front of the National Congress, a hundred feminists gathered to demand that the interruption of pregnancy be allowed in three circumstances.

The so-called “three grounds” are the risk to the mother’s life, rape or incest, and the existence of a malformation in the fetus incompatible with life after birth.

The feminists have maintained an encampment in front of the National Palace, seat of the Executive, since March 11, and on Monday night, they set up three tents in front of the Congress to put pressure on the legislators.

But on this occasion, the police dismantled the camp at dawn, tearing the tents with knives while their occupants were inside, according to videos recorded and disseminated by the activists.

On Tuesday morning, the police tried to remove another tent set up by the activists, but the agents desisted after some pro-women deputies intervened.

Congressman Pedro Martinez of Alianza Pais described the police intervention as an act of “barbarism” and denounced the “attempt against life” suffered by the activists last Sunday.

At least twelve people, including three members of a team of journalists, had to receive medical attention after eating some candy, apparently poisoned, which an unknown person gave to the activists last Sunday, saying that it was a gift in support of the cause.

ONE OR THREE GROUNDS

In the Penal Code draft, only one of the three grounds has been included, the risk to the mother’s life, but an alternative legislative report, with little support in the House, calls for the inclusion of the other two circumstances demanded by feminists.

In recent years, two attempts to approve the Penal Code failed because legislators maintained prison sentences for abortion in all cases, and then President Danilo Medina vetoed both bills.

Conservative congresswoman Rafaela Alburquerque said today that by including only one cause, “what we wanted is to save the Code.” “Please take care of it,” she appealed to those in favor of decriminalizing abortion.

PARALLEL PROJECT

In parallel, a legislative committee has begun to prepare the drafting of an exclusive law on abortion, a project which, according to Abinader, will be submitted to a referendum.

“I am in favor, but it is a decision that involves many issues, not only health but also religious,” said the Dominican president on Monday in an interview in Madrid with Efe.

Jurist Yildalina Tatem Brache told Efe that equating rights with religious positions shows politicians “have negotiated” women’s rights with churches.

“It is not possible that in the 21st century, with all that we have advanced to be a secular state, that it is the executive branch of the nation that says that rights can be equated with religions,” Tatem Brache said at the feminist demonstration.