Tamara Martínez sentenced to three months in prison for defamation against Gaby Desangles

Santo Domingo.- Judge Clara Luz Almont of the Second Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance of the National District sentenced communicator Tamara Martínez to three months in prison after finding her guilty of defamation and slander against presenter and actress Gaby Desangles.

According to the ruling, Martínez must serve her sentence at the Najayo Women’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center for violating Law 53-07 on High Technology Crimes and Offenses, which penalizes defamatory and injurious content disseminated through digital platforms and electronic media.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Desangles in April 2024 over statements made by Martínez on television programs and social media that were allegedly harmful to the presenter’s image, honor, and reputation.

During the proceedings, prosecutors requested a one-year prison sentence and compensation equivalent to 200 public sector minimum wages, arguing that audiovisual evidence and other documentation confirmed the repeated dissemination of defamatory content online.

Martínez’s defense attempted to challenge the accusations during the hearings, while Desangles’ legal team, represented by attorneys Ángel Leonel Canó and Nelson Burgos, maintained that the statements directly affected their client’s dignity and public image.

The case drew significant public attention due to the prominence of both media personalities and renewed debate over freedom of expression, digital communication, and legal responsibility under Dominican law.

The ruling adds to a growing number of recent defamation and slander cases prosecuted under Law 53-07, legislation increasingly used in the Dominican Republic to address allegedly offensive or defamatory content shared on social media and digital platforms.