Debate on protection based on sexual orientation in the Penal Code

An action seeking to explicitly include sexual orientation as a protected ground against discrimination in the Criminal Code generated a heated debate on Thursday at the Constitutional Court in the Dominican Republic. The controversy has since extended broadly into the legal community.

The proceedings at the Constitutional Court feature legal arguments from lawyers Julio Cury and Patricia Santana Nina. The debate centers on the legislative incorporation of sexual orientation provisions within the penal framework.