Former IAPA President José Roberto Dutriz to Receive Tomorrow the International “Justice and Press” Award.
Former IAPA President José Roberto Dutriz during the opening session of the Second International Conference on Social Communication in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Miami (November 26, 2025) The Judiciary of the Dominican Republic and the National School of the Judiciary inaugurated today the Second International Conference on Judicial Communication, held on November 26 and 27 at the El Embajador Hotel in Santo Domingo. The event brings together jurists, academics, journalists, and international specialists to discuss best communication practices aimed at strengthening justice systems.
The opening ceremony was attended by Henry Molina, President of the Supreme Court of Justice; Justice Francisco Ortega Polanco, Judge of the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and Director of the Adriano Miguel Tejada Chair of Justice and Communication at the National School of the Judiciary; journalist and media executive Juan Luis Cebrián, former director of El País and former president of Grupo Prisa; Persio Maldonado, President of the Dominican Society of Newspapers; and former President of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), José Roberto Dutriz.
In his remarks at the beginning of the conference, Dutriz, CEO and General Director of La Prensa Gráfica of El Salvador, emphasized that “freedom of the press is not an accessory to democracy, but one of its most essential pillars,” and warned that the relationship between justice, journalism, and citizens has become increasingly complex in a context of growing regional tensions. He pointed out that several Latin American countries are experiencing “new and increasingly sophisticated forms of pressure against the press,” including abusive lawsuits, stigmatization campaigns, digital surveillance, and indirect restrictions on access to public information.
Dutriz stressed that these mechanisms — though more subtle than traditional censorship — can have a profound impact on democratic life by weakening independent media and distancing citizens from reliable information. He called for recognizing the consequences that judicial processes can have when used improperly, not only on the press but also on society’s right to be informed.
The former IAPA president also highlighted the need to strengthen the sustainability of independent journalism. “Freedom of expression requires strong media outlets, solid newsrooms, and technological innovation,” he stated, noting that business models and financial independence are now as decisive as legal guarantees.
He also proposed three essential lines of action: strengthening cooperation between the press and the judicial system through institutional channels of dialogue; promoting innovation and media literacy to combat disinformation; and fostering a public culture that values transparency, legitimate criticism, and verified information.
The conference includes panels on the relationship between the press and the judiciary in the digital era, technological innovation in judicial processes, media sustainability, disinformation, and freedom of expression, with experts from Latin America, the United States, and Europe.
Tomorrow, Thursday, the closing ceremony will be held, during which the Annual Judicial Communication Award will be presented. On the same day, Dutriz will receive the International “Justice and Press” Award in recognition of his career and contributions to the defense of press freedom and access to public information in the Americas.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.