Civil Society asks OAS to drop chief justice honor

OUTRAGED civil society groups have petitioned   the Organization of American States (OAS) to reverse a decision to honor Supreme Court Chief Justice José Ayú Prado.

The OAS  plans to name the  judge, as an ambassador of goodwill and special envoy of the Organization for Environmental Justice. He is facing numerous complaints before the National Assembly, and accused of involvement in a plot to aid wiretapping under the Ricardo Martinelli administration

Eleven groups, including alliances for justice, democracy, women’s rights, community otganizations , unions and journalists, have signed the  petition opposing the  invitation.

“It is not acceptable that the OAS gives an accolade to someone who has been questioned by his own people and whose integrity is in serious doubt,” the groups said.

The NGO’s  also called on the OAS to invite the special UN rapporteur on Judicial Independence to visit Panama to analyze the current crisis in the country’s judiciary.

Ayú Prado is the subject of six complaints before the National Assembly.