New York, October 29, 2003—A Panamanian court has overturned a ruling barring renowned Peruvian journalist Gustavo Gorriti from leaving the country and ordering him to stand trial for criminal defamation charges filed against him in Panama in 1996. Gorriti had recently traveled to Panama to attend a conference on corruption. On Monday, October 27, officials…
Nova York, 29 de outubro de 2003—Um tribunal panamenho revogou uma ordem que proibia o reconhecido jornalista peruano Gustavo Gorriti de abandonar o país e ordenava que ele se apresentasse em juízo por uma denúncia de difamação contra o Panamá em 1996. Gorriti havia viajado recentemente ao Panamá para participar de uma conferência sobre a…
Economic and political turmoil throughout Latin America in 2002 had profound implications for the region’s press. Sharp decreases in advertising revenue bankrupted many media outlets, while the failure to consolidate democratic reforms left the media vulnerable to legal and physical assault. Five journalists were killed in Latin America in 2002 for their work.
Since the U.S. invasion in 1991, Panama’s three democratic administrations have pledged to repeal legislation that restricts press freedom. But little has been done, and officials seeking to silence critics or prevent exposure of corruption continue to harass the press with numerous “gag laws.”
The U.S. government took aggressive measures in 2002 to shield some of its activities from press scrutiny. These steps not only reduced access for U.S. reporters but had a global ripple effect, with autocratic leaders citing U.S. government actions to justify repressive policies.
New York, February 28, 2003—Offended by allegations of corruption, a Panamanian judge has ordered investigative journalist Carlos Zavala to serve six days in jail. Zavala, who hosts the weekly talk show “Cuentas Claras” (Clear Accounts) on RCM Televisión in Panama City, told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that the order stems from his criticisms…