The economic crisis which followed disclosure of the Banco Intercontinental (BANINTER) banking fraud in May 2003 has placed enormous pressure on the already less than robust respect for human rights in Dominican Republic. This report discusses the emerging trend of reported human rights violations by members of the security forces against Dominicans demonstrating against government policy in response to the crisis. It also examines reports of arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and measures to curtail freedom of expression, particularly targeted against journalists critical of the authorities.
