Precautionary Measures In Place for Gay Teen Detained Pre-Trial in Dominican Republic’s Most Dangerous Prison

RFK Human Rights has requested precautionary measures on behalf of 18-year-old gay man C.M.T. (whose identity will be kept confidential for safety concerns), who was detained pretrial for eight months in La Victoria, the oldest and most dangerous prison in the Dominican Republic, despite being sentenced to a center for correction and rehabilitation.

While in La Victoria he was violently raped and subsequently denied appropriate medical attention. Beyond that, authorities denied him essentials such as toilet paper and soap, and he was held in a cell without a bed and forced to “rent” one from one of the other inmates, who also extorted him for “protection” money. Guards refused to provide C.M.T. with ample protection from attacks. Although C.M.T. was ultimately moved to the original center for correction and rehabilitation that he was sentenced to, irregularities in his legal process and similar conditions at the new facility mean that he remains at risk. RFK Human Rights continues to push for his release.

Why is This a Key Case?

LGBTQ+ people face increased risks when detained—most especially of sexual violence from other inmates but also from the prison personnel whose job is to protect them. While this is in no way limited to prisons in the Dominican Republic, C.M.T.’s case demonstrates how a state’s inadequate legal and procedural protections can mean life or death for LGBTQ+ and other already marginalized individuals and communities.

How is RFK Human Rights Supporting C.M.T.’s Case?

The organization, along with partners Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition and Fundación Sigue Mis Pasos, submitted a request for precautionary measures to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for C.M.T in March 2019. Measures were granted in April 2020.