Dominican Republic enacts new Penal Code, establishes commission for future reforms

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic’s Executive Branch has enacted the new Penal Code through Decree No. 507-26, dated July 27, 2026, following its approval by the National Congress.

To support the implementation and continued improvement of the legislation, the government also created a monitoring commission tasked with evaluating future reforms to the Code. The panel is chaired by Dr. Milton Ray Guevara and includes legal experts Leyda Margarita Piña Medrano, Pedro Balbuena, Ricardo Rojas León, Julio César Castaños Guzmán, Luz Díaz, José Lorenzo Fermín, Eduardo Jorge Prats, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra, as well as journalists Persio Maldonado and Aníbal de Castro.

The Executive Branch said the new Penal Code reflects a democratic consensus and extensive institutional and technical review, reinforcing its commitment to modernizing the country’s legal framework, protecting fundamental rights, respecting due process, and strengthening transparent institutions.

Among its key changes, the legislation introduces new criminal offenses designed to address the realities and challenges of the 21st century.