Chief Justice César Pereira Burgos announced on taking office on January 4 that he would enforce the restrictions, accusing that news media of committing abuses in reporting on the judiciary.
Chief Justice César Pereira Burgos announced on taking office on January 4 that he would enforce the restrictions, accusing that news media of committing abuses in reporting on the judiciary.
Apparently the action is in retaliation for the airing by the local press of a discussion in the Supreme Court in which Pereira Burgos voiced criticism of the Panamanian Comptroller General, Alvin Weeden, during proceedings against former president Ernesto Pérez Balladares.
On the immediate orders of Pereira Burgos new media will now be able to accredit only one representative to the judiciary’s press room.
Rafael Molina, chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, said he was concerned that such a restriction would limit the public’ right to know and undermine the guarantees that are necessary for the free practice of journalism.
Molina regretted that the action was taken shortly after the Judicial Forum on Freedom of the Press that the IAPA held in Panama last November in which judges and journalists discussed ways of achieving a greater understanding on access to and dissemination of legal information as a prerequisite for the exercise of the right to know.
During the November 14, 2003, forum the issue that was raised was the need to train judges and employees of the judiciary concerning access to information and ways to improve the efficiency of the judiciary’s press offices.
Molina called on the Panamanian authorities to protect press freedom, reminding them that what characterize a free society are an independent judicial branch and a free press.
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