SANTO DOMINGO.- In an apparent legislative effort to curtail the press’ role as the watchdog of the powers of the State and the transparency in the handling of public issues, several senators and deputies are drafting of have submitted bills to stifle freedom of expression.

The first to reveal the intention is the ruling PLD party deputy from Puerto Plata Alfonso Crisóstomo, who submitted a bill to substantially amend the Free Access to Public Information Law, by making the procedure to obtain information extremely difficult.

A few days later the also PLD senator (La Romana) Amarylis Santana submitted another bill which would force the yielding of spaces by the media, written or digital, to publish messages prepared by a government agency, in the guise of contributing to educate the Dominican people.

The National Assembly’s Verification Commission, inexplicably distancing itself from the formula adopted in the first roll call of Article 21 on Freedom of Expression, has proposed a different text, which includes the controversial and deceptive concept of “truthful information,” an allegation the public powers can manipulate to quell public liberties.

The legislative offensive against freedom of the press coincides with the recent scandals involving legislators including the “barrilitos” or little barrels, a scheme which considerably increases their income.

In the last few days the media has also denounced the large amounts of tax exemptions for the lawmakers to import luxury vehicles, some of which have ended up in the hands of drug traffickers, as well as their rampant nepotism.

Grim precedent

The concept “truthful information” has been used in several countries as an attempt to limit freedom of expression and of the press, as the State itself would determine what meets that requirement.