Electoral Commission rethinking media ban

THE COMMISSION for Electoral Reforms  plans to takena new look at  a proposal that has raised a storm among Panama journalists who laim that the defense of freedom of speech has no limits.

The proposal prohibits the publication of news about candidates in the two-day period before an election.

The commission meton Monday Dec.  21 with the National Council of Journalism (CNP), the Forum of Journalists and the Panama Union of Journalists, who said that the proposal is a violation of the Constitution and  international agreements signed by Panama.

Current election laws already ban political advertising for a two-day period prior to an election. The proposed article would extend that ban to news stories.

This would prevent the media from publishing a story shortly before an election that could impact the results.

Each of the representatives from the media organizations spoke for about 10 minutes on why adopting this article would be a bad idea.

CNP President Atenógenes Rodríguez said that the defense of freedom of expression has no limit.

“It is a fundamental right and we will defend it here nationally and internationally,” said the journalist.

Rita Vásquez, vice president of the CNP and deputy director of La Prensa, said that it was necessary to respect the right of the voter to cast an informed vote.

Journalists Forum President Guillermo Antonio Adames said that freedom of expression is not something that can be negotiated.

Rolando Rodríguez, associate director of La Prensa, said that the ban would prevent the media from refuting defamatory posts that appear on social media. He said that the media would not be able to publish a response from a candidate.

Filemón Medina, secretary general of the Union of Journalists, also reiterated that the group will not negotiate the freedom of expression. He said that they would defend the freedom of citizens to be well informed.

While the media representatives explained that they will not participate in any working group within the commission, they would assist in the drafting of a new article.

It said it would further discuss the issue at a meeting Dec. 28.

Tribunal Electoral Judge Erasmo Pinilla said the article refers to the “promotion” of stories.

“It is a temporary limitation on the media. We insist that any position of the court is not written in stone and we are willing to discuss them,” he said.