In Panama, defamation conviction draws outcry
New York, October 7, 2010–A Panamanian court of appeals has convicted two TV journalists of criminal defamation and banned them from professional work for one year, news reports said. While President Ricardo Martinelli said he would pardon the journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today that lawmakers should repeal all criminal penalties for defamation.
Veteran Panamanian journalist jailed on defamation charges
New York, June 30, 2010—A 70-year-old Panamanian journalist arrested and jailed Saturday on a 2008 defamation conviction should be immediately released, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.The charges against Carlos Núñez López, at left, stemmed from a 2005 story in the now-defunct weekly newspaper La Crónica about environmental damage in the province of Bocas del Toro, his lawyer, Luis…
Attacks on the Press 2009: Americas Developments
ATTACKS ON THE PRESS: 2009• Main Index AMERICAS Regional Analysis: • In the Americas, Big Brother is watching reporters Country Summaries • Argentina • Brazil • Colombia • Cuba • Ecuador • Honduras • Mexico • Nicaragua • United States • Venezuela • Other developments BOLIVIA An anonymous caller threatened Raphael Ramírez, editor of the…
Panamanian journalist sentenced to two years in prison
New York, April 30, 2009–A Panama City court has sentenced leading Panamanian journalist Jean Marcel Chéry to two years in prison on trespassing charges stemming from a years-long series of complaints filed by a Supreme Court justice. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Justice Winston Spadafora to end his politically motivated harassment.
Attacks on the Press in 2008: Americas Developments
Canada | Chile | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Haiti | Nicaragua | Panama | Peru CANADA • A Canadian court ordered news organizations not to report on the details of the bail hearings of 17 suspects accused of terrorism in March. The court acted under a provision in the Canadian Criminal Code that…
Judge orders seizure of weekly after story on alleged tax evasion
New York, September 8, 2008–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the decision of a Panamanian civil court on Friday to order the seizure of assets belonging to a weekly newspaper, as well as portions of two staff members’ salaries. The ruling came after the publication ran a story on alleged tax evasion by…
Panama: Columnist barred from leaving the country
New York, July 28, 2008–A Panamanian judge barred sports columnist Bienvenido Brown from leaving the country and ordered him to stand trial on criminal defamation charges filed in 2005. Eleventh Criminal Court Judge Josefina Sclopis issued the ruling on Friday against Brown, a columnist with the daily La Estrella de Panamá, the newspaper reported. The…
Attacks on the Press 2007: Americas Analysis
Preaching Without A ChoirBy Carlos LauríaAt June’s annual assembly of the organization of American states (OAS) in Panama, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged foreign ministers to send the group’s secretary-general, José Miguel Insulza, to investigate Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías’ decision to pull the plug on the country’s oldest private television station, RCTV.