Debate on protection based on sexual orientation in the Penal Code

An action seeking to explicitly include sexual orientation as a ground for discrimination in the Penal Code generated a heated debate on Thursday at the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic. The legal challenge and subsequent discussions have extended broadly into the country's legal community.

The proceedings before the Constitutional Court involve legal arguments led by lawyers Julio Cury and Patricia Santana Nina. The core of the debate centers on whether to legally codify protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation within the national Penal Code.