CDU Strongly Condemns the Arrest & Detention of Opposition Members in Dominica
The CDU is gravely alarmed by the recent reports emerging from the Commonwealth of Dominica regarding the arrest and detention of members of the political Opposition, including Mr. Johnson Boston, who were exercising their constitutional right to peacefully protest and raise legitimate concerns about the state of electoral reform in the country. Electoral Reform is critical to the integrity of the electoral process and the administration of free and fair elections in Dominica.
This blatant abuse of state power is not only unconscionable—it is undemocratic and deeply dangerous. The arrest of citizens for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and peaceful protest is a direct affront to the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of Dominica.
We are witnessing what appears to be a disturbing and deliberate trend: the use of the machinery of the state as a tool of political victimization and intimidation. This erosion of democratic norms signals a dark and dangerous turn—one that should alarm every right-thinking Dominican and every citizen of the Caribbean who believes in justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
Let it be clearly stated: Political dissent is not a crime. Speaking out against the government is not a crime. Assembling to peacefully protest is not a crime. These are the hallmarks of a functioning democracy—not threats to it.
The heavy-handed actions of the authorities in Dominica bear the hallmarks of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships that have no place in the Caribbean. This is not just a local issue—it is a regional concern. The preservation of democracy in one Caribbean nation is the shared responsibility of all.
We therefore call on the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica to immediately uphold the Constitution, denounce these scare tactics, and ensure that the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Dominicans—regardless of political affiliation—are protected and preserved.
We further call on all democratic forces, civil society actors, religious leaders, regional organizations, including the OECS, and the people of Dominica—especially the youth—to unite in full condemnation of these abuses. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity. Now is the time to speak out. Democracy in Dominica is under threat. We must defend it.
