Resolution IACHR. Precautionary Measure No. 408/13 (República Dominicana), 30-01-2014

• Case Outcome: Granted
• Case Type: Precautionary Measures
• Respondent State: República Dominicana
• Court: Inter-American Comission of Human Rights
• Date: 30 January 2014

INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

RESOLUTION 2/2014

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE No. 408-13

M. of members of the “Movimiento Reconocido” from the Dominican Republic

January 30, 2014

I. INTRODUCTION

1. On November 14, 2013, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-

American Commission,” “the Commission” or “the IACHR”) received a request for precautionary

measures filed by the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Santa Clara (hereinafter “the applicants”)

requesting the IACHR to require the Dominican Republic (hereinafter “the S.”) to protect the life and

personal integrity of the members of the “Movimiento Reconocido” (“Recognized Movement”.)

According to the request, the members of the “Movimiento Reconocido” are allegedly s ubject to threats

against their life and personal integrity as a consequence of the criticism and protest from said human

rights defenders against Sentence No. 168/13 passed by the Constitutional C. of the Dominican

Republic, which denationalizes thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent.

2. After having requested more information from the applicants, who provided information on

December 2, 2013 and January 23, 2014, i nformation was requested to the S., which pro vided

information on December 23, 2013.

3. After analyzing the arguments of fact and law submitted by the applicants, the Commission considers

that the information presented shows prima facie that the members of “Movimiento Reconocido” are in

a serious and urgent situation, since their lives and personal integrity are allegedly threatened and at

risk. C., in accordance with Article 25 of the Rules of Procedure of the Commission, the

IACHR requests that the Dominican Republic: a) take the necessary measures to protect the life and

personal integrity of the members of “Movimiento Reconocido”; b) take the necessary measures to

ensure that the members of “Movimiento Reconocido” can perform their activities as human rights

defenders without being subject to acts of vio lence and harassment because of their work; c) agree on

the measures to be adopted with the beneficiaries and their representatives; and d) report on the

actions taken to investigate the facts that gave rise to the adoption of this precautionary measure in

order to prevent its repetition.

II. SUMMARY OF FACTS AND ARGUMENTS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANTS

4. “Movimiento Reconocido” is an organization from the Dominican Republic that works for "the

recognition and guarantee of the rights of Dominicans affected by the policy of denationalization carried

out by the Dominican S.". This organization carries out activities to spread information about the

problem and promote "the recognition of the right to citizenship of all Dominicans that had already

been recognized as such by the S.. In terms of context, according to the request for precautionary

measures, Sentence No. 168/13 has resulted in an environment of hostility and public discrimination

against the individuals and organizations that defend people of actu al or perceived Haitian descent who

already had the right to be recognized as a citizen of the Dominican Republic. In this sense, the app licant

informs that many human rights defenders are reportedly being threatened to death in several ways,

including messages through social networks, comments on onl ine newspapers, chants in protests and

demonstrations, as well as verbal threats by alleged military intelligence officials. The facts reported by