The Dominican Republic holds regular elections that are generally free and competitive. Pervasive corruption undermines state institutions and the use of excessive force by police remains a problem. Journalists risk intimidation and violence when investigating sensitive political issues. Discrimination against Dominicans of Haitian descent and Haitian migrants, as well as against LGBT+ people, remain serious issues.

• Presidential and parliamentary elections were held concurrently in May. Luis Abinader of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) was reelected president, and the PRM maintained majorities in both legislative chambers. The Organization of American States (OAS), which monitored the election, praised the operations of the Central Election Board (JCE) and Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), but noted that vote buying remains a concern in Dominican elections. Analysts attributed the success of Abinader and the PRM to a strong economy and support for restrictions on migration from Haiti, which was engulfed in a severe political, security, and humanitarian crisis.
• In January, President Abinader signed an intelligence law that allowed authorities to compel state agencies, private institutions, and individuals to turn over information to the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI) if it was deemed in the interest of national security. Those deemed to “hide information” from the DNI could face fines and prison time of up to three years. The law garnered criticism from local press organizations and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), who said its broad language threatened journalists’ ability to protect their sources and would encourage self-censorship.
• Authorities maintained a suspension on issuing or renewing residency permits, visas, and asylum-seeker certificates to Haitian migrants and people of Haitian descent. Rights groups expressed concern about inhumane treatment of Haitian migrants by authorities, including the detention and deportation of pregnant women, unaccompanied children, and elderly people, as well as of Dominicans of Haitian descent. In October, authorities announced a massive effort to deport Haitians living illegally in the country, saying they aimed to expel up to 10,000 people per week.
• Civil society groups that assisted migrants and stateless people faced legal and other harassment during the year. In October, the headquarters of the Sociocultural Movement for Humanitarian and Environmental Work (MOSCTHA) was surrounded by protesters who shouted stigmatizing anti-Haitian slogans; local authorities were unresponsive to the group’s requests for support. The same month, the coordinator of the Reconocido Movement, a human rights group composed mostly of Dominicans of Haitian descent, was arbitrarily detained by national police who held him for some hours, reportedly accusing him of being an illegal migrant even as he produced Dominican identification.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.