Woman defender assaulted during unlawful raid amid migration crackdown; Anti-migrant protest followed by fatal shooting raises alarm

Context

Civil society warns of escalating anti-Haitian violence after deadly attack

On 18th April 2025, a man identified as Willian José Núñez Rosario carried out a machete attack against two young Haitian women in Villa Liberación, Bonao. He killed 28-year-old Daslin Jean and seriously injured 22-year-old Maclina Jean. According to police reports, the attacker later surrendered and confessed to the assault. In the weeks preceding the attack, far-right and nationalist groups organised public demonstrations targeting Haitian communities.

In response, civil society organisations, including Movimiento Socialista de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores and Aquelarre RD, condemned the attack and described it as racially motivated. They warned that the killing reflects a broader pattern of escalating anti-Haitian violence in the country. Organisations also highlighted the role of public discourse and state policy in shaping this context. They report that restrictive migration measures, alongside discriminatory rhetoric by public officials, have contributed to a climate of fear, stigmatisation and heightened vulnerability among migrant communities.

International human rights organisations have raised concerns about systemic discrimination against Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent. On 21st March 2025, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Amnesty International called on Dominican authorities to guarantee the rights of human rights defenders working against structural racism.

During the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2025, organisations including International Service for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Fundación Código Humano reported discriminatory and violent treatment of Haitian migrants. Other organisations, including Conectas International, raised similar concerns about patterns of structural racism and xenophobia.

On 6th April 2025, the government introduced new migration measures, including deploying migration agents in 33 public hospitals to identify and detain Haitian migrants without legal residency permits, with a particular focus on maternity wards. The Hemispheric Network for the Rights of Haitian Migrants (REDMA) said that these measures restrict access to healthcare and undermine the work of human rights defenders. REDMA reported that more than 119,000 people were deported to Haiti in the first four months of 2025, representing a 71 per cent increase

Forced labour concerns persist despite US lifting of trade ban

On 24th June 2025, a coalition of Dominican civil society organisations, — including Cipros, Centro Montalvo and the Unión de Trabajadores Cañeros (UTC), a trade union representing sugarcane workers — stated that patterns of forced labour persist in the operations of Central Romana Corporation, despite the recent lifting of United States of America (USA) trade restrictions.

They reported that conditions in company-run bateyes, residential settlements for sugarcane workers, often located in isolated areas, continue to reflect patterns of abuse. They added that tightened migration policies have increased workers’ vulnerability and limited their ability to report violations.

The organisations noted that, since late 2023, Dominican authorities have intensified detention operations and mass deportations. These measures have disproportionately affected Haitian workers and people of Haitian descent, who constitute the majority of the workforce. As a result, workers face heightened fear of deportation, which increases dependence on their employer and discourages complaints.

They further reported that Central Romana has strengthened internal security measures and restricted movement within and outside bateyes, which deepens isolation and increases the risk of reprisals. They also added that previously documented labour violations remain unaddressed, including partial wage withholding, lack of overtime pay, excessive working hours and inadequate housing conditions without access to basic services.

The organisations also questioned the decision to lift the US Withhold Release Order (WRO), a trade measure used by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to block imports linked to forced labour, in the absence of a transparent, independent and public assessment verifying improvements on the ground. They referred to reporting by The New York Times suggesting that the decision may have been influenced by political considerations rather than a rigorous evaluation of compliance with international labour standards.

Association

Woman defender assaulted after filming unlawful police raid on her home

On 26th February 2025, state agents assaulted woman human rights defender Epifania St. Chals Lichardo, during a raid on her home in El Seibo province. According to reports, eight officers from the National Police, the General Directorate of Migration — the authority responsible for immigration enforcement — and the army entered her house in the early hours without presenting a judicial warrant, stating that they were searching for “undocumented foreign nationals.”

When St. Chals began recording the operation, one agent seized her phone, deleted the footage, grabbed her by the neck and threatened to suffocate her. The incident took place in the presence of her mother and two minor daughters. St. Chals is the coordinator and co-founder of Reconocido, a grassroots movement that advocates for citizenship rights and equality for Dominicans of Haitian descent, including access to identity documents.

In response, Front Line Defenders condemned the attack against her, her family and other members of the movement. The organisation noted that Reconocido members benefit from precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a regional human rights body that issues protection measures for people at risk. The assault occurred in a broader context of intensified enforcement measures, including a reported increase in arbitrary detentions based on racial profiling, mass deportations and attacks against human rights defenders, particularly those supporting migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent.

Reconocido has faced repeated threats, attacks and raids in recent years due to its work defending the rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent, a group that has historically experienced discrimination and barriers to nationality and documentation. According to Front Line Defenders, the situation has deteriorated following recent migration measures and public statements by the President calling for the deportation of 10,000 Haitians per week. The organisation warned that these actions undermine the state’s international human rights obligations towards migrants, people of Haitian descent and those who defend their rights.

Peaceful Assembly

Haitian worker killed after anti-migrant protest in Friusa

On 30th March 2025, a Haitian worker was shot dead in Verón-Punta Cana, hours after a nationalist protest targeting Haitian communities turned violent in the nearby neighbourhood of El Hoyo de Friusa. Residents reported that the victim, who allegedly worked as a security guard, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Earlier that day, a violent demonstration led by Antigua Orden Dominicana (AOD), a fascist group, called for the expulsion of Haitian migrants and the adoption of further restrictive measures. Protesters deviated from the authorised route and attempted to enter residential areas predominantly inhabited by Haitian communities, which escalated tensions. Clashes erupted when police intervened using water cannons and later tear gas after protesters threw stones and set objects on fire.

Civil society organisations stated that the protest created a hostile and volatile environment that may have contributed to the escalation of violence. Reports also indicate that some organisers and public figures promoted participation in the protest and, in certain instances, encouraged attendees to carry weapons.

El Hoyo de Friusa, located near Punta Cana, hosts one of the largest Haitian communities in the Dominican Republic, many of whom work in construction and tourism-related sectors. While communities have historically coexisted, recent years have seen an increase in anti-Haitian rhetoric and restrictive policies.

Security deployments risk deterring protest

On 24th March 2025, authorities deployed security forces in San Francisco de Macorís ahead of a two-day strike scheduled for late March, called by several organisations, including the Frente Amplio de Lucha Popular (FALPO), a social movement coalition advocating for public services and economic rights. Reports indicated that authorities deployed over 1,000 military and police personnel, supported by aerial surveillance, in an apparent effort to deter mobilisation. Despite this show of force, the strike proceeded as planned.

On 26th March 2025, authorities also deployed additional military personnel in Friusa, in the Verón-Punta Cana district, in connection with a demonstration scheduled for 30th March. The mobilisation, reportedly organised by far-right groups, targeted migrant communities, particularly people of Haitian origin (see above). Civil society organisations raised concerns that the presence and positioning of security forces in this context may have facilitated or legitimised actions that risk inciting discrimination or violence against these communities.

Organisations also reported that calls circulated ahead of the demonstration encouraging participants to attend armed, heightening concerns about potential violence and escalation. These developments occurred within a broader context of restrictive migration policies and mass deportations.

Clashes erupt as residents oppose Barrick Gold expansion plans

On 30th May 2025, police and military forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protests in the community of El Naranjo, Zambrana (Cotuí), where dozens of residents mobilised against environmental works linked to a mining project. The protests intensified following the detention of four farmers involved in opposing activities that, according to local communities, threaten the Naranjo River, a key water source for the area.

Demonstrations spread across at least six neighbouring communities, El Rayo, Arroyo Vuelta, Lajas, El Higo, El Naranjo and Las Tres Bocas, reflecting the scale of mobilisation. Protesters demanded the suspension of land clearing and construction works linked to a road project carried out by Barrick Pueblo Viejo, a major mining operator, in connection with the planned construction of a new tailings dam, a structure used to store mining waste.

Tear gas and civilian attacks disrupt anniversary protest in Santo Domingo

On 27th April 2025, a large march took place in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, to mark the 60th anniversary of the April 1965 uprising. Protesters reported that police used tear gas at the outset of the demonstration in La Trinitaria Square in an apparent attempt to disperse the crowd. Security forces also reportedly surrounded and separated a group of retired sugarcane workers, who have long mobilised to demand pension rights.

The march nevertheless continued towards Parque Independencia, where authorities had deployed a heavy police and military presence in advance. Although Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful stated on 25th April that no parallel activities would be permitted, civil society organisations reported that far-right groups gathered in the same area, creating tensions around the demonstration. When the march reached its final point near El Conde, participants alleged that individuals linked to these groups infiltrated the protest and disrupted planned activities, including the reading of a manifesto and cultural events.

As the demonstration dispersed, protesters reported that groups of civilians armed with stones, knives and firearms attacked participants. Protesters repelled the attack. The situation escalated further when these groups reportedly surrounded a community centre and library in the Gazcue area.

Journalists protest harassment and growing threats to press freedom

On 13th May 2025, journalists and media workers gathered outside the Presidential Palace in Santo Domingo to protest what they described as increasing harassment, stigmatisation and attacks against the press. Protesters carried placards and chanted slogans in defence of press freedom, including calls opposing censorship, reflecting growing concern within the sector.

Protesters described a pattern of intimidation in recent years, including physical aggression against journalists during public events, public discrediting of critical reporting and attempts by state institutions to influence or control public narratives. During the protest, journalist José Tomás Paulino stated that recent attacks undermine the ability to carry out independent journalism, despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression.

Other speakers, including Rosalba Escalante Féliz, warned that repeated acts of harassment risk leading to broader restrictions on freedom of expression. Cristian Cabrera highlighted the role of independent media in ensuring democratic accountability and stressed that weakening press freedom undermines oversight of public authorities.

The protest also exposed divisions within the media sector, with some participants criticising the limited support from parts of the profession and from the leadership of the Colegio Dominicano de Periodistas (CDP), the main professional body representing journalists in the country.

Expression

Journalist reports Pegasus spyware attack

On 5th March 2025, journalist José Rafael Mata, editorial director of Diario del País, reported that a spyware attack involving Pegasus targeted his mobile device, following a security alert from Apple. The notification warned that his personal device had been subjected to a “mercenary spyware attack”, a form of targeted digital surveillance designed to remotely compromise smartphones, typically used against journalists, politicians and human rights defenders.

According to the alert, the attack was highly sophisticated and resource-intensive, suggesting a targeted surveillance operation. Mata described the incident as a serious threat to press freedom and stated that the use of spyware against journalists amounts to digital persecution and censorship. He announced plans to file a formal complaint with authorities in the Dominican Republic and to refer the case to international mechanisms that protect freedom of expression.

Pegasus, developed by the NSO Group, enables remote access to mobile devices, including messages, calls, location data and camera and microphone functions, often without the user’s knowledge. Its use has been widely documented in cases involving surveillance of journalists, activists and political figures across multiple countries.

Private hosting pressure on media outlet fuels censorship fears

On 15th May 2025, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), a regional organisation that promotes press freedom, raised concerns about a reported threat of censorship affecting the newspaper Listín Diario in the Dominican Republic. The warning followed an ultimatum issued by Network Solutions, which demanded the removal within 48 hours of an article published on 22nd March 2024, raising concerns about the role of private intermediaries in restricting access to information.

The article reported on the admission of charges by Lisandro José Macarrulla Martínez in connection with the Medusa case, a corruption investigation concerning alleged administrative misconduct between 2016 and 2020. According to the newspaper, Network Solutions warned that failure to remove the content could lead to the suspension of its hosting services, citing a potential breach of its terms of use. Listín Diario initiated the migration of its website to another provider to safeguard its content and ensure continued public access to the information.

University denounces unauthorised military operation on campus

On 26th June 2025, military intelligence agents from the J2 unit, the intelligence branch of the Defence Ministry, reportedly entered the campus of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), the country’s main public university in the capital, Santo Domingo, without authorisation. The operation targeted Professor Fernando Peña, coordinator of the Observatory of Public Policy, an academic initiative focused on policy analysis. According to statements by the Federación de Profesores de la UASD (FAPROUASD) and the Asociación de Empleados Universitarios (ASODEMU), agents arrived in unmarked vehicles and surrounded university facilities, raising concerns about the purpose and scope of the operation.

University associations condemned the incident as an unlawful intrusion, stating that it violated Law 5778, the legal framework that guarantees university autonomy and prohibits security forces from entering campus without prior authorisation from university authorities. They warned that such actions undermine academic freedom and institutional independence, which constitute core components of democratic governance.

Tensions between university sectors and the government have increased in recent years, including disputes over labour conditions and public education policy. At the same time, civil society organisations and academic groups have raised concerns about restrictions on fundamental freedoms in the context of broader security and migration policies, including reported arbitrary detentions and searches conducted without judicial warrants.