Panama Authorizes the Publication and Free Consultation of the Official Sex Offender Registry
The recent approval of Law 501, which authorizes the publication and free consultation of the Official Sex Offender Registry, has been welcomed as a step forward for child protection, although advocacy organizations warn that significant challenges remain in child safety and prevention. Children’s rights activist Lucy Córdoba pictured above, acknowledged the measure as an important step, but noted that it represents only a fraction of what is needed to comprehensively address the risks faced by children and adolescents in the country. “This is not a recent struggle; it has been going on for decades. This represents a temporary measure, but we insist that children must be a matter of state, beyond the governments in power,” she stated.
Córdoba added that other sensitive issues, such as child trafficking, continue to lack the priority attention they require. Until now, the sex offender registry was private and only accessible to judicial authorities. With President José Raúl Mulino’s enactment of the law, the database will become publicly accessible online, allowing citizens to find information on individuals convicted of crimes against sexual freedom and integrity, child trafficking, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The law, proposed by Representative Paulette Thomas, comprises seven articles. Its first article formalizes the creation of the National System of Official Sex Offender Registry, which will include detailed information on those convicted by final judgments.
It will also serve as the basis for issuing certificates of non-sex offender status and as a tool for situational crime prevention. The administration of the system will fall to the Archives and Personal Identification Office of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ), which will be responsible for maintaining a secure, up-to-date database with a publicly accessible web platform. On social media, the law has received majority support, although some citizens insist that the registry should be applied without exceptions, regardless of the perpetrator’s profile. The implementation of this law comes at a particularly sensitive time.
Between January and October of this year, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reported 4,884 complaints of sexual offenses, including 1,943 cases of simple rape and 230 cases of aggravated rape. In response to these figures, the government also toughened penalties through Law 474, which amended the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Children’s rights organizations reiterate that the legislation is a significant step forward, but insist on redoubling efforts in prevention, education, psychological support, and a direct fight against child sexual exploitation.
