New Penal Code has tougher penalties for convicted officials

Santo Domingo.- In the new Penal Code, government, policeand military officials convicted of felonies will get a tougher penalty than thosefor the ordinary citizen.

"When that authority is involved in the commission ofan act, protects, destroys evidence, and if you are the competent authoritythen you will get an increased penalty, which is an exacerbation," said deputyDemostenes Martinez, who chairs the lower Chamber Justice Commission.

He said the bill to amend the Penal Code to be debated nextweek includes slander and libel as well as abortion.

"For any authority involved, the penalty is higher,"the deputy said after attending a roundtable on security and justice hosted bythe Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS).

He said felonious slander to be penalized by the rules is when it’s done in a public space, and not througha media outlet.

In the activity former judge Manuel Ulises Bonelly and attorneyRicardo Rojas Leon made their observations on the legislation pending approvalin Congress, and stressed that several articles of the current code weremerged.