Defense seeks to overturn 18-month detention of ex-Senasa director

Santo Domingo.- The defense of former National Health Insurance (Senasa) director Santiago Hazim has appealed the decision ordering 18 months of pretrial detention, arguing that the ruling violated his dignity, privacy, and presumption of innocence.

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Hazim’s lawyer, Miguel Valerio, confirmed this Tuesday that the appeal was filed with the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of the National District, contending that Judge Rigoberto Sena’s decision was based on personal moral and ethical judgments rather than legal reasoning. According to the defense, the ruling lacked proper legal motivation and included biblical and literary references unrelated to the purpose of coercive measures.

Valerio maintained that the judge’s arguments referring to alleged greed, betrayal, and moral disloyalty do not constitute valid legal grounds and are disconnected from the evidentiary elements of the case. He also argued that the decision violates Hazim’s right to health, as it allegedly prevents him from continuing medical treatment for a serious illness.

The defense emphasized that coercive measures are intended to prevent a defendant’s flight or the destruction of evidence, objectives that, according to Valerio, were not adequately addressed in the ruling. He claimed that by failing to base the decision on these criteria, the court disregarded Hazim’s rights and dignity.

Hazim and six other defendants are accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of participating in an alleged embezzlement of more than RD$15 billion at Senasa and were ordered to serve 18 months of pretrial detention. Three additional defendants were placed under less restrictive measures, including electronic monitoring, travel bans, and mandatory periodic reporting, with their attorneys stating that they have cooperated with the investigation.