very hot pavement; and b) verbal threats to her face and in the media issued by State
agents or individuals, including being summoned by the President of the Legal Consultant
Group (GSV in its Spanish acronym), who has threatened her with accusations of
“committing a crime against the State and/or terrorism to the detriment of the Dominican
Republic.” These incidents have caused anxiety and fear for Ms. Solange Pierre. In
comments dated November 30, 2011, the representatives reported on new threats against
Solange Pierre and her family, including the creation of a Facebook page entitled “Let’s
throw Sonia Pierre out of our country” and the following of her daughter Leticia Dandre Pie
by an unknown man on November 5, 2011. Based on this, and with the purpose of
guaranteeing her safety, on November 22, 2011, she joined the employees of MUDHA in
filing a criminal complaint with the National Prosecutor’s Office.
37. The representatives also indicated that Mrs. Pierre has not turned down the offers for
security: On the contrary, they state that she was the one who initiated communications
with the State. They added that the State had limited her protection, arguing that it was
impossible to appoint a permanent guard and asserting budgetary limitations. In response,
the representatives proposed that the State provide an exclusive telephone number that
Mrs. Pierre could call in the event of “any threat to her safety or that of her family.”
According to the information provided by the representatives, the State did not respond to
this request. Instead, it limited itself to suggesting “that Sonia should call the emergency
number available to the general population.” In their comments dated November 30, 2011,
the representatives asked that given this, the “State be ordered to provided Sonia Pierre
and her family with the financial resources necessary to armor the family car and to be able
to hire private security for a period of at least three months, a period that could be
reevaluated subsequently.”
38. In comments dated March 18, 2011, the Commission argued that the provisional
measures should be maintained because “the situation of gravity and urgency that correctly
served as grounds to grant the [measures] is ongoing.” It added that “the State has not
taken specific measures to protect the life and integrity of Ms. Pierre” and that the State
“has a duty to reach a consensus with the beneficiaries with regard to the measures
implemented to their benefit through adequate mechanisms of participation.” Based on this,
the Commission asked the Court to dismiss the State’s request to lift the provisional
measures regarding Mrs. Pierre. Likewise, in its observations of October 20, 2011, the
Commission warned that the State has not yet addressed the representatives’ comments
with regard to the worsening of the situation of risk facing Solange Pierre and her children.
It also expressed its concern over the summoning of the beneficiary on October 3, 2011,
and recalled the State’s obligations to protect all people who provide information to the
Commission and abstain from retaliating against them. Based on this, it asked that the
Court “require the State to forward information on the reason, scope, and content of said
‘summons.’”
39. This Court notes that the representatives have provided information that supports the
maintenance of these measure benefiting Solange Pierre and her children, and they
requested that the State make a contact number available for any eventuality related with
her safety. For its part, the State has not provided updated information regarding the
protective measures granted to her benefit. This Court recalls that the State has a duty to
ensure the personal integrity of the beneficiaries of the measures. For this reason, it orders
the Dominican Republic to provide – in coordination with the designated authority (supra
Considering 15), the work group (supra Considering 20), and the beneficiaries – the most
suitable mechanism for providing protection to the beneficiaries and for allowing the
beneficiary to be able to establish contact with an authority capable of responding to any
possible eventuality related with her safety and personal integrity.
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