Cuba USA
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK) Center and partners filed a complaint on before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) challenging the Dominican Republic's systematic denationalization on behalf of Juliana Deguis Pierre, Yanelis Segó Basil, Jenny Salita Emanier Previlma, and their children. The filing amplifies an original petition submitted in March 2013 on behalf of 62 individuals and details multiple subsequent human rights violations exemplified by the cases of Ms. Deguis, Ms. Segó, and Ms. Emanier since the Constitutional Court's judgment 168-13 arbitrarily deprived thousands of Dominicans of their nationality. Dominican advocacy groups Movimiento Socio-Cultural de losTrabajadores Haitianos (MOSCTHA), Derechos Vigentes, and Red de Encuentro Dominico Haitiano Jacques Viau (REDH) joined the RFK Center in filing the complaint.
"The Dominican Constitutional Court has shamefully joined in a systematic campaign of discrimination against Dominicans of Haitian descent and, ignoring its obligation to protect fundamental rights, has stripped hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of their nationality," said Kerry Kennedy, President of the RFK Center. "The Inter-American community cannot stand witness to human rights violations on this massive scale without action. The IACHR should immediately take up these cases to send a clear and unequivocal message that the government of Dominican Republic must end its xenophobic denationalization campaign once and for all."
The Constitutional Court judgment 168-13 against Ms. Deguis retroactively alters the criteria for citizenship for those born to foreign parents between 1929 and 2010 in violation of international law, including the American Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgment in the case of *Yean and Bosico v. Dominican Republic*. As a result, Ms. Deguis and hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of foreign descent have been arbitrarily deprived of their nationality and left stateless. Since December, less than three months after its controversial judgment 168-13, the Constitutional Court has continued to disregard binding international law and issued new sentences, upholding the shameful
initial decision in seven additional cases.
"Protecting the right to nationality is critical to ensuring the enjoyment of many other basic human rights," said Kerry Kennedy. Without access to nationality or citizenship documents, Dominicans of Haitian descent have little to no access to work, education, health services, and a wide range of other civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights."
In addition to violations of the rights to nationality and juridical personality, the filing outlines
how the Dominican government has violated the prohibition of racial discrimination, the right to judicial protection, the right to freedom of movement, the right to participate in public affairs, and the right to family, as well as several economic, social, and cultural rights such as the right to work, the right to education, and the right to health. The RFK Center and partners to the petition have requested that the Inter-American Commission process and expedite this case to protect the rights of the children involved, to promote changes in state practices to avoid the reception of multiple similar petitions, and to address the serious structural discrimination in the country.
Last year, the Inter-American Commission granted Precautionary measures requested by the RFK Center and partners for 80 Dominicans of Haitian descent, including Ms. Deguis, Ms. Segó, and Ms. Emanier, to prevent their immediate expulsion and to secure identification documents for accessing basic social services. The government has failed to fully comply with these Precautionary Measures.
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Cuba USA
Robert F. Kennedy Center filed a complaint for depriving Dominicans of Haitians descent of their nationality.
By the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK) Center
"The Dominican Constitutional Court has shamefully joined in a systematic campaign of discrimination against Dominicans of Haitian descent and, ignoring its obligation to protect fundamental rights, has stripped hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of their nationality," said Kerry Kennedy, President of the RFK Center. "The Inter-American community cannot stand witness to human rights violations on this massive scale without action. The IACHR should immediately take up these cases to send a clear and unequivocal message that the government of Dominican Republic must end its xenophobic denationalization campaign once and for all."
The Constitutional Court judgment 168-13 against Ms. Deguis retroactively alters the criteria for citizenship for those born to foreign parents between 1929 and 2010 in violation of international law, including the American Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights judgment in the case of *Yean and Bosico v. Dominican Republic*. As a result, Ms. Deguis and hundreds of thousands of Dominicans of foreign descent have been arbitrarily deprived of their nationality and left stateless. Since December, less than three months after its controversial judgment 168-13, the Constitutional Court has continued to disregard binding international law and issued new sentences, upholding the shameful
initial decision in seven additional cases.
"Protecting the right to nationality is critical to ensuring the enjoyment of many other basic human rights," said Kerry Kennedy. Without access to nationality or citizenship documents, Dominicans of Haitian descent have little to no access to work, education, health services, and a wide range of other civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights."
In addition to violations of the rights to nationality and juridical personality, the filing outlines
how the Dominican government has violated the prohibition of racial discrimination, the right to judicial protection, the right to freedom of movement, the right to participate in public affairs, and the right to family, as well as several economic, social, and cultural rights such as the right to work, the right to education, and the right to health. The RFK Center and partners to the petition have requested that the Inter-American Commission process and expedite this case to protect the rights of the children involved, to promote changes in state practices to avoid the reception of multiple similar petitions, and to address the serious structural discrimination in the country.
Last year, the Inter-American Commission granted Precautionary measures requested by the RFK Center and partners for 80 Dominicans of Haitian descent, including Ms. Deguis, Ms. Segó, and Ms. Emanier, to prevent their immediate expulsion and to secure identification documents for accessing basic social services. The government has failed to fully comply with these Precautionary Measures.
- Resolutions Of The Ist Pan African Colloquium Held At The University Of The West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Members of the 'Back to Africa Movements' Panel - L-R: Professor Abiyi Ford, Dr. Lazare Ki-Zerbo, Chair: Professor Mohammad Kuna, Prof, Eric Michael Washington and Dr Giulia Bonacci The inaugural Pan African as at caption, saw After three days...
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- Declaration In Havana Of The 9th "nicolás Guillén" Conference And Festival Of Music And Poetry In Answer To The Sentence Of The Constitutional Court Of The Dominican Republic 0168/13 Against Dominicans Of Haitian Descent.
Haiti, "what does it mean for the Cubans of yesterday and today? Guillén said that its history was made "with the blood of the people accustomed from birth to struggle and die for their rights". This reality hasn't changed much. Today the Nicolás...
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UNHCRWASHINGTON, April 7, 2014 (UNHCR) - Today the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reiterated the call for the Dominican Republic to restore the nationality of tens of thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent born in the country who were rendered stateless...
- Press Release - Interamerican Commission For Human Rights - No 118/11
PRESS RELEASE N° 118/11 IACHR CONCERNED OVER ASSAULT ON BENEFICIARY OF PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES IN CUBA Washington, D.C., November 10, 2011 - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expresses its concern over recent attacks suffered by...