Statelessness of Dominicans of Haitian descent “worsened”

Santo Domingo.- The American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Tuesday said the denationalization of Dominicans of Haitian descent "worsened" and see the authorities’ harassment when that group stages protests.

That was the response by commissioners Rosa Maria Ortiz and Felipe González to questions from Dominican ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Roberto Saladin, in a hearing on the conflict held in Washington yesterday.

Saladin noted that his country has already established jurisprudence in those cases and asked the Commission not to convene more hearings on the issue.

But both the NGOs represented at the hearing and the commissioners rebutted what they affirm is the retroactive enforcement of that jurisprudence.

Ortiz also stated her concern for Dominican Republic’s lack of compliance in the case of the girls Dilcia Oliven Yean and Violeta Bosico, and the lack of a legal framework to challenge denationalization by arbitration.

The Commission is expected to set a new date to further discuss the issue of alleged statelessness in the country.