Violation of the principle of equality in those prosecuted for drug trafficking under a semi-open regime
Keywords:
Principle of equality, substance trafficking, semi-open regime, social rehabilitation, penitentiary systemAbstract
The Ecuadorian penal system has undergone significant modifications in recent years, including the reform of Article 698 of the Comprehensive Organic Penal Code, which regulates the semi-open social rehabilitation regime. This reform has created differentiated treatment for those convicted of illicit trafficking of controlled substances, allowing access to the regime only for those who have committed the crime on a minimal or medium scale, while excluding those convicted on a high or large scale. This study aimed to analyze whether this differentiation constitutes a violation of the principle of equality, affecting equity in the application of penitentiary benefits. The methodology used is of a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental, field, and descriptive design, based on structured surveys applied to 15 legal professionals in free practice in the canton of Tulcán, selected through probabilistic sampling. The results show that 80% of respondents consider that the current regulations violate the principle of equality, while 86.66% believe that all those convicted of substance trafficking, regardless of the scale, should have access to the semi-open regime. Additionally, 80% support a reform of Article 698 of the COIP to ensure more equitable treatment. It is concluded that the exclusion of certain convicts from the semi-open regime not only perpetuates inequalities but also aggravates prison overcrowding and limits social reintegration, highlighting the need for regulatory reform to ensure greater justice and proportionality in the application of criminal law.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Anthony Raúl Benalcázar-Pozo, Johana Lisbeth Mafla-Sánchez, Carmen Marina Méndez-Cabrita, David Javier Cuasapud-Tulcanaza
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