DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
WHEREAS
the Dominican Senate is considering a new bill seeking obligatory licensing under the guise of elevating the "professionalism" of journalists by placing the professions of journalism and mass communication under the control of an entity or colegio, despite the fact that the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic ruled a 1983 Obligatory licensing law invalid and in violation of the constitution
this bill contains the same defects as the 1983 law and thus violates guarantees for the respect of freedom of expression and thought in the Dominican constitution and in the American Convention of Human Rights, ratified by the Dominican Congress
it is the duty of the Inter American Press Association to denounce violations and restrictions on the exercise of journalism in the Americas
a tariff reform bill that for the first time in the history of the country would impose duties on the importation of newsprint has been sent to the Dominican Congress
the new duties on newsprint and other supplies for the newspaper industry would be more than 50 per cent ad valorem and would severely damage the economic health of the media
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to ask the Senate of the Dominican Republic to reject the "professionalization" bill
to support the steps taken by the Dominican Newspaper Society, which has already expressed its opposition to the "professionalization" bill
to ask the president of the IAPA to take the necessary steps to make sure that this potential new violation of the Dominican constitution and the American Convention of Human Rights does not occur.
to ask the president of the IAPA to point out to the Dominican Congress that the imposition of import duties at a time when the Dominican nation is passing through a severe economic crisis not only would weaken the economic health of the communications media but also would endanger the right of the people to be informed.
