(13 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – 13 May 2025
1. Various of journalists and members of media protesting
2. ACD Media Group reporter Rosalba Escalante speaking to media
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rosalba Escalante, ACD Media Group reporter:
“From now on, we are no longer willing to remain silent or stay quiet because all dictatorships worldwide begin with the censorship of the press. And the censorship of the press begins with violations that initially seem insignificant but have disastrous results.”
4. Protesters holding signs reading (Spanish): “Freedom of Expression” and “No mistreatment of the press”
5. El Nuevo Diario reporter, Jaime Rincón, at protest
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jaime Rincón, reporter at El Nuevo Diario:
“We have seen how politicians repeatedly try to curtail the freedoms we have, not only journalists, cameramen, photo reporters, but it is a freedom that all Dominicans have because you, with access to the Internet, have the right to express yourselves through any social media.”
7. Pan of military personnel at protest
STORYLINE:
Dozens of people, including prominent journalists, marched on Tuesday through the Dominican Republic ’s capital to decry a bill that critics warn could lead to government censorship.
The bill, which is expected to be approved, calls for the creation of an independent regulator that would oversee content published on social media and digital news sites, focusing especially on anything that would violate the privacy of children or someone’s dignity.
But critics say such a regulator could overreach.
Opponents of the bill say it is the latest measure under the administration of President Luis Abinader that appears aimed at stifling the media in the Caribbean country of more than 11 million people.
However, some journalists have publicly supported the bill, noting that it protects freedom of expression without prior censorship and calls for the respect of public criticism.
Under Abinader, a newsroom located inside the National Palace in Santo Domingo was closed and journalists are now required to request access to press conferences and other events up to a week in advance. Under previous presidents, access was automatically granted to the palace with a verified press identification.
Journalists also complain that government security has become more aggressive during press conferences.
"We have seen how politicians repeatedly try to curtail the freedoms we have, not only journalists, cameramen, photo reporters, but it is a freedom that all Dominicans have because you, with access to the Internet, have the right to express yourselves through any social media,” said Jaime Rincón, a reporter with El Nuevo Diario newspaper, told The Associated Press.
During the march, journalists held signs and chanted, “No to censorship! Freedom of press!”
Rosalba Escalante, a reporter with ACD Media, who was recently pushed and stepped on by the security detail of Vice President Raquel Peña, who publicly apologized for the incident, also participated in Tuesday’s march.
“From now on, we are no longer willing to remain silent or stay quiet because all dictatorships worldwide begin with the censorship of the press," she said.
"The censorship of the press begins with violations that initially seem insignificant but have disastrous results.”
Abinader has not responded to the journalists’ allegations, although when asked about the bill during a press conference on Monday he said he was not involved in its creation. “I didn’t even add a comma,” he said.
AP Video by Martin Adames
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