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Judge Garabito highlights the role of the Dominican Judicial Branch in international cooperation for crime prevention and criminal justice 

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VIENNA, Austria. - The judge of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ), María Garabito Ramírez, assured that Dominican Republic has strengthened its internal legislation and has a more autonomous, independent, transparent and agile Judicial Power, which plays a crucial role in international judicial cooperation. 

He explained that the consolidation of the Dominican Judicial Power has facilitated extradition processes, mutual legal assistance, asset recovery, as well as coordination with international organizations, which has allowed to divert the attention and interest of crime in the Dominican Republic. 

Judge Garabito Ramírez made these remarks while leading the Dominican delegation that participated in the Thirty-third session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, accompanied by Councilor Bionni Zayas Ledesma. 

He also stated that in the fight against organized crime, the Dominican Republic has been strengthened through its membership in international and regional agreements, adhering to the application of the United Nations Standards and Norms on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, including those of Bangkok, Nelson Mandela and Beijing, as well as the commitments made in the Kyoto Declaration, towards the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

"The Dominican Government reaffirms the need to strengthen international cooperation as a way to prevent and address crime in all its forms and manifestations, and calls on States to jointly implement effective strategies to respond to the challenges and new emerging crimes, and to adopt appropriate measures to strengthen and modernize our justice systems," said Judge Garabito Ramirez. 

The magistrate, who is a member of the Criminal Chamber of the SCJ, explained that in 2023 the country created the "Joint Task Force" to combat organized crime; in addition, measures have been implemented to improve transparency and accountability in government processes, as well as to investigate and punish cases of corruption. 

The Dominican Republic has also collaborated with international organizations and other countries to exchange best practices and strengthen their anti-corruption institutions. 

Other initiatives highlighted by Garabito Ramírez that the country is promoting in the fight against corruption are the creation of the Department for the Prevention of Administrative Corruption in 1997, the creation of the Advisory Council on Anti-Corruption of the Presidency of the Republic in 2006, the creation of the General Directorate of Public Contracting, as well as the creation of the General Directorate of Ethics and Government Integrity (DIGEIG) in 2012. 

"This effort has been recognized in the report published by the independent civil society organization Global Initiative, based in Geneva, Switzerland, entitled Global Organized Crime Index 2023, which highlights the significant progress made by the Dominican Republic in its fight against organized crime and transnational crimes; among the aspects positively valued are: a robust legal framework with guarantees for the protection of victims and witnesses; government efforts in anti-drug initiatives and the promotion of civil society participation; as well as the strengthening of the regulatory framework against money laundering," he explained. 

Judge Garabito Ramírez said that together with the delegation accompanying her, she reiterated and reaffirmed her interest in contributing to the discussions of the thematic debate with a view to defining concrete actions that will allow the management of international cooperation and technical assistance to prevent and combat organized crime and other related crimes in an appropriate manner, taking advantage of the experience of other participating countries. 

The commission was accompanied by the ambassador and permanent representative of the Dominican Republic in Austria, Angela Vigliotta Mella.  

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