182 Deaths in Dominican Republic Police Operations Prompt Call for Probe
Two legal groups demanded an independent investigation into at least 182 deaths during Dominican police operations since early 2026. September was the deadliest month.
Dominican Legal Groups Demand Independent Review of 182 Police-Operation Deaths
Two legal organisations in the Dominican Republic called on 1 October for limits on police use of lethal force and an independent investigation into deaths during police operations, ua.news reports, citing The Rio Times. At least 182 people have been killed in such operations since the start of 2026.
The Finjus Foundation, which focuses on justice and the rule of law, argued that combating crime does not justify extrajudicial executions. The organisation's executive vice president, Servio Tulio Castaños Guzmán, cited Article 37 of the Dominican constitution, which guarantees the right to life. Officers, he said, must distinguish a genuine and immediate threat from situations in which lethal force is no longer warranted.
The Dominican Institute of Criminal Law (IDDP) addressed President Luis Abinader directly, demanding a "ceasefire." The institute's representative, Cándido Simón, stated that police may identify and detain suspects but have no authority to kill them. The IDDP called for every death under such circumstances to be examined by independent investigators using the UN Minnesota Protocol where applicable.
The two organisations issued their positions following an investigation by Diario Libre published on 30 September. The outlet cross-referenced 354 entries from the police's public wanted-persons list for 2022–2026 with its Patrulla Letal database, which tracks deaths at the hands of security forces. Only three of the at least 182 people killed this year appeared on the public wanted list.
Police have routinely explained the deaths by asserting that those killed were wanted individuals who opened fire on officers. On 28 September, police chief Ernesto Rodríguez García said all those recently killed had more than two entries in their criminal records. Diario Libre noted, however, that a criminal history does not place a person on the formal wanted list.
September proved the deadliest month of the year for police operations. Of 99 homicides recorded nationally between 1 and 25 September, 45 occurred during police actions and 35 were linked to personal conflicts. Despite this, the overall homicide rate fell to 7.36 per 100,000 people as of 25 September, down from 8.16 at the same point a year earlier.
On 1 October, police published a database listing 53,877 outstanding arrest warrants covering 50,865 individuals. Jurisdiction over investigating deaths in police operations lies with the prosecutor's office; the reports cited do not indicate that independent reviews have been initiated.
Source: Google News DM — Crime