Prosecutors’ eyes on restaurants and bars which discriminate

Santo Domingo. – Justice minister Francisco Dominguez on Wednesday ordered his Assistant DAs to identify the restaurants, bars, and clubs which exert discrimination, and follow up with periodic inspections.

He also ordered them to act on complaints and prosecute racial discrimination cases, directly supervised and tracked by the Ministry’s Human Rights Unit.

Dominguez said the resolution aim to eradicate the limits, exclusion and discrimination against the access, entry and enjoyment of those businesses on grounds of color, race, garments, hairstyle and/or physical appearance.

The official noted however that the owners of those businesses, given the nature of the place, have the right to establish appropriate dress codes, in a clear and visible, general and non-discriminatory manner, as long as the constitutional principles aren’t violated, as outlined in the resolution.

The measure comes just days after several people complained of alleged discrimination at the club La Chismosa, in Santo Domingo.