DOMINICA: Media banned from covering High Court cases in the criminal division

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SOURCE: NATURE ISLE NEWS:

The press in Dominica has been told that they cannot enter to cover the Criminal Session of the High Court that officially opened on January 24, 2022.

The Criminal Session of the High Court has been closed for almost a year.

There are no laws in place governing such a decision except in the case of a sexual nature where such matters are held “in camera” meaning with the press absent.

The police and court staff informed the press who tried to gain access that “we were told not to allow the press in.”

Attorney at law and Peter Alleyne brought the matter to the attention of the Registrar of the High Court and questioned her on “what law was such a decision taken” she then informed him that she was merely carrying out instructions.

She then met two members of the press outside including Curtis Matthew News Editor of DBS radio and said that she was “sorry but was merely carrying out instructions.”

Inquired as to who gave those instructions we were told “the Judge.”

The matter was also brought to the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dyrample who said there was adequate space in the court to accommodate the press.

Matthew also inquired from the Judge about her decision and she replied that she has to protect the court staff and if the press was given access, she would leave the courtroom.

Nature Isle News (NIN) will continue to follow the matters especially given the fact that the court is a public place and criminal trials barring those of a sexually nature are open to the press and the public.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. Always some little dictator popping up somewhere. The press is a public service just like the court. They have spit in the people’s face. The irony is, these are the people that should know the law. At the very least they should have put out a statement so the people could know not to waste their time attempting to enter

  2. Is that Dominica’s High Court!? 😱 that building looks so rundown. As bad as it is in Antigua the High Court don’t look as deplorable as that.

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