Dominican Constitutional Court Strikes Down Same‑Sex Conduct Ban in Police and Armed Forces

Overview

• In Judgment TC/1225/25 published on November 18, the court invalidated article 210 of the Police Justice Code and article 260 of the Armed Forces Justice Code as unconstitutional.
• The justices cited violations of nondiscrimination, privacy, free development of personality, and the right to work in striking down the provisions.
• The rules had imposed prison terms for consensual same‑sex conduct by officers—up to two years for police and one year for armed forces—with no equivalent penalties for heterosexual acts.
• Human rights advocates, including Human Rights Watch and case lawyers Anderson Javiel Dirocie De León and Patricia M. Santana Nina, welcomed the ruling and urged broader legal protections for LGBT people.
• Conservative religious leaders criticized the decision, and official responses were limited, with the Ministry of Defense declining comment and the National Police offering no immediate comment; observers noted the move aligns with regional reforms in Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the United States.