Government gag law condemned

A proposed law would make it a crime to criticize the president or any elected public servant in Panama is getting negative reactions in Panama and around the world.

Punishment, for those found guilty would be a jail term of up to four years. The proposed law has been widely criticized by the media, civil rights organizations, lawyers and oppositions delegates.
But Cambio Democrático (CD) Legislator Agustín Sellhorn, part of the ruling coalition has rushed to the defense of the media gag plan.

"If you do not respect the legal representative of the country, there will there be a decomposition and society will fall apart," Sellhorn said.
 The initiative would help improve the "rule of law in Panama," and stop erroneous information from being published.

"No one can deny today that…there are statements being made that denigrate and offend people," he said.