5 years for ex-security boss attack on journalist

ALEJANDRO GARUZ former Secretary  of Panama’s Security Council  has been jailed for five years for of personal injury to the general secretary of the Union of Journalists, Filemón Medina.

The incident took place  on June 11, 2013 in Quarry Heights, when two TVN journalists  who had been filming in the area where the Security Council wire-tapping operation was headquartered were detained   by the Institutional Protection Service (SPI)

Medina responded to a call for assistance  but Garuz and several SPI agents arrested him, repeatedly hurling him against  a vehicle, causing injuries to the neck and back.

In his ruling issued Jan. 24, Special Judge Carlos Rodriguez stated that it is fully established that when Medina tried to activate his cell phone to have a record of the incident, Garuz took him by the lapel of his coat and hurled him several times against a vehicle owned by the television station. The official also took the cell phone. The injuries to the journalist were confirmed by the Institute of Forensic Medicine .

Garuz, is also facing  separate charges connected with wiretapping and the Finmeccanica failed radar contract.