THE DRAFT bill regulating the exercise of journalism presented last July by the pro-government Deputy Juan Moya “would put a terrible gag” on freedom of expression in Panama.
So warned the Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information of the Inter-American Press Society currently meeting in Charleston, South Caroliina.
“The Panamanian press [is] battling against a frightening bill promoted by a member of the government of President Juan Carlos Varela which would put a terrible gag on free expression and return the country to the dark times of censorship,” according to the report, which was presented by the President of the Commission Claudio Paolillo SundayOctober 4 reports La Prensa.
In August, Society President Gustavo Mohme informed Varela of the concern over the “severe restrictions” to the freedoms of press and expression imposed by the draft law presented by Moya and which is still in the Assembly.
Among other things, the law punishes the “illegal” practice of journalism with imprisonment from 2 to 5 years. It also restricts the profession to Panamanians with degrees in the field. Foreigners would not be allowed to enter the profession.
Paolillo, in his report, referred to the situation in the rest of the countries in the region, where “freedom has been rationed or there have been dangerous attempts to do so and conceal information of interest to society.”
The committee noted that 16 journalists have been killed in the region this year, and almost all of these crimes remain unpunished.
