DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today
Santo Domingo.- A hearing in a slander case set for Thursday next week could set a precedent in the Dominican Republic, pitting an ever stronger and outspoken media against the powerful Catholic Church.
Catholic priest Manuel Ruiz charged five prominent journalists with slander stemming from the sexual abuse scandals caused by the late bishop Jozef Wesolowski and priest Wojciech Waldemar Gil (Padre Alberto).
For more than five hours National District 8th Penal Chamber judge Teofilo Andujar heard the indictment from prosecutors and the defense claim of persecution, which cited three previous acquittals by other courts.
The journalists Marino Zapete, Altagracia Salazar, Diana Lora, Franklin Guerrero and Juan Tomas Dottin are charged with defamation and slander, but claim a violation of their right to free expression.
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