Ombudsman investigates two reports  of excessive force by police

The Ombudsman’s Office has opened an ex officio complaint against the National Police “for the use of excessive force” after the protests that were registered in the vicinity of the National Assembly rejecting the mining contract.

On  Monday, August 28, the Committee on Commerce and Economic Affairs of the Assembly began the discussion of the draft law of 1043 that establishes the contract between the Panamanian State and Minera Panama, for the exploitation of copper in the district of Donoso, in Cocle province.

Clashes broke out between the demonstrators and crowd control police officers.

According to the Ombudsman, the officers of the Citizen Accompaniment Plan verified that during the protests on Monday, August 28 and Tuesday, August 29, “members of the Police Crowd Control used irritating gas and pepper balls (known as fireballs) excessively.” pepper spray) to mitigate and withdraw both protesters and bystanders, causing affectations and injuries ”.

The Ombudsman’s Office also announced  that Human Rights officials, from the Coclé region, reported that in the midst of a protest held this Thursday in the Río Grande sector, residents of the community “were victims of the disproportionate use of force by the security forces”.

It was reported that these people were protesting the delayed completion of the new Health Center, a solution to the lack of water and repair of the roads.