DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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Press freedom in the Dominican Republic is beset by troubling developments, including acts of violence, abuse, and intolerance against journalists and the media. The cases of Domingo Disla Florentino, a lawyer and television commentator, and Facundo Labata Ramírez, a radio journalist and businessman, are part of a wave of violence, and there is no evidence that their deaths have to do with their work as journalists. Two journalists have been murdered in the last six months, causing grave concern in the media. While these murders are part of a wave of violence, there is still no evidence that they were murdered for their work as journalists. Television commentator and attorney Domingo Disla Florentino was shot down on August 28 as he returned to his place of business in Boca Chica, 30 kilometers outside the Dominican capital. And on September 25, radio journalist and businessman Facundo Labata Ramírez was murdered by unknown assailants while playing dominoes in front of a grocery store in Los Alcarrizos, 15 kilometers from Santo Domingo. In early August, unknown assailants threw an explosive device at the car of journalist César Montesinos after spraying it with gasoline. The car was parked in front of Montesinos’s home. Also in August, photographer Orlando Ramos, of the newspaper Clave Digital and the weekly Clave, was beaten by armed agents and arrested as he was preparing to photograph First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández after a concert at the National Theater. Journalist Adonis Santiago Díaz of the newspaper Diario Libre was questioned at the National Drug Administration about published reports on drugs thrown into a dam reservoir. In a similar development, which was reported by the Dominican Journalists Association (Colegio), reporters Federico Méndez and Leoncio Comprés, of Diario Libre newspaper, and Diego Pesqueira, of the newspaper Hoy, were subpoenaed to appear at a hearing to explain published reports that an organized crime group was issuing false passports. There has been increased wiretapping and other forms of spying on journalists and executives at various media outlets. The spying is carried out with technologically advanced equipment by groups that are allowed broad freedom to act without the fear of being punished. The leading suspect in the September 2004 murder of Juan Andujar remains behind bars. A trial is still pending. Also unsolved is the 2004 shooting of radio and television commentator Euri Cabral. The authorities have announced the deaths of several people allegedly involved in the shooting.

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