In a legal ruling handed down Tuesday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, prominent local broadcaster Ángel Martínez has been convicted on charges of defamation and slander against sitting congressman Sergio Moya, widely known by the nickname “Gory” Moya. Presiding Judge Clara Luz Almonte delivered the verdict, which handed down a three-month suspended prison sentence to Martínez and ordered him to pay 2 million Dominican pesos in civil restitution to the legislator.
The conviction was grounded in Articles 21 and 22 of Law 53-07, the country’s landmark legislation addressing high technology crimes and digital offenses. This regulatory framework specifically imposes criminal and civil penalties for the distribution of defamatory, insulting content through electronic channels and digital social platforms, reflecting the Dominican Republic’s legal efforts to address harmful speech spread through modern digital communication tools.
Beyond the suspended prison term and monetary award, the court’s ruling formalized the requirement that Martínez compensate Moya for lasting harm done to the congressman’s public image and professional reputation. The legal case originated from a series of unsubstantiated accusations the broadcaster made against the legislator, which ultimately led to the defamation suit that concluded this week.