Chief Justice calls for preservation of legacy: constitutional guarantees and rule of law
The XXX solemn hearing in which 1,286 lawyers were sworn in before the Plenary of the Supreme Court, paid tribute to outstanding jurists who, in the exercise of their profession, risked their lives defending in court the rights of men and women who fought for democracy during the dictatorships.
The honorees were Julio Aníbal Suárez, Abel Rodríguez Del Orbe and Ramón Antonio (Negro) Veras, and posthumously Rafael Valera Benítez, Virgilio Bello Rosa, Abraham Bautista, Orlando Rodríguez, Salvador Jorge Blanco, Julio Ibarra Ríos, Manolo Medrano, Sofía Sánchez Baret, Hilda Gautreaux and Héctor Cabral Ortega, as well as other judges who defended with the same gallantry the rights of political prisoners in dark times of tyranny.
During the swearing in of 519 male and 767 female lawyers, held in person and virtually, Henry Molina recalled that these defenders of political prisoners faced threats, persecution and violence in defense of justice and human rights.
"With this tribute to these committed defenders of political prisoners, we not only honor the role they played in our history, but we also ponder their legacy in our daily work. And by recognizing their contribution to the construction of a more just and democratic society, we are also calling on the Dominican State and society as a whole to preserve these guarantees, which are the heart of our Social and Democratic Rule of Law," said Supreme Court Chief Justice Henry Molina in his speech.
He asked "all the actors of the justice system, of the State and society as a whole, to address together this work of the judges, sometimes solitary but always unrenounceable, to preserve the principles and guarantees, as well as impartiality".
He also assured that it is everyone's task to address the needs for optimizing the penal system, focusing on the real causes of the problem.
"We must achieve a justice system that is more humane and, above all, capable of carrying out its essential function of reintegrating people into coexistence," said the presiding judge. He added that "it is necessary to strengthen and improve the system, to achieve effective sentences, within the framework of due process and with respect for constitutional rights and guarantees."
He also advocated for "increasing the number of cases that are resolved by agreeing the criminal sanction without going to trial on the merits. This is the case in most countries with functional justice systems, where the conviction is decided in a timely, efficient and effective manner," said the presiding judge.
He also indicated that justice has the constitutional calling to be the arbiter of conflicts between individuals, and between individuals and the represented society, but this task is only possible if the rules are the same for all.
"Let us pay tribute to these brave defenders of political prisoners. Let us honor their legacy and recognize their contribution to the construction of a more just and democratic society. Let us continue to fight for a law based on personal guarantees, respect for human rights and the promotion of justice for all," said Judge Molina.
The magistrate urged those sworn in to exercise their role with the same dedication, commitment and dignity with which each of these jurists did in their professional careers, "because each one of them is a rock with which we reinforce the pillar that is the rule of law".
As new lawyers, you will undoubtedly see in the coming months and years the transcendent value of defending justice client by client, case by case, sentence by sentence," concluded the presiding judge.
During the solemn hearing, representatives of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Public Defense presented their qualifications before the SCJ Plenary in the presence of the families of the honorees who attended the event.
