Election eve media muzzle rejected

PANAMA’S  Commission for Electoral Reforms  has unanimously Monday rejected a proposal that would limit the ability of media to report on candidates immediately prior to an election.

The proposal raised a storm of criticism in local and international media organizations.

The commission approved an article that bans political advertising shortly before an election, which had previously been part of the law, but rejected the proposal that would have restricted reporting during that period.

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The vote was held on the last meeting of the committee in 2015.

The article exempts the Tribunal Electoral and the Electoral Prosecutor from the ban.

The committee is also expected to discuss reforms to the election of deputies to the Central American Parliament, (Parlacen  … described by Ricardo Martinelli  as a “den  of thieves”, which he joined the day his successor took office) and changes in the electoral courts, among other proposals.