The administrative process initiated by the Electoral Court (TE) against publishing company Panama America (Epasa) and CB-24 international TV channel was repudiated by journalistic unions, who warned of a possible persecution against the media that have criticized the actions of the Government.
Even newspaper associations are asking that TE´s arguments be explained as to why they are after punishing an informative activity in the absence of a ban for publishing polls.
This is so given the existence of two administrative proceedings due to two publications issued on 27 October 2015 and 15 February 2016 on an opinion poll which stated that former President Ricardo Martinelli held a higher rate of popularity as compared with all living former Presidents.
According to the Secretary General of the Union of Journalists of Panama, Filemón Medina, access to information is a right of citizens, and if the poll published by these media contained errors, this fact should be clarified.
"If by 2015 we already had a President elected in the country, why should there be a prohibition to disclose information from a poll or electoral ban that prohibits disseminating such information?” asked Medina.
He emphasized there is the need to define in what ways it is electorally harmful giving out information from a poll when published by the media. "What is the rationale of the Electoral Court behind opening proceedings against media that are obvious opponents of the Government who are questioning some of the things that occur within the TE?" he questioned.
He added that we should not be suing the media without legal basis because by doing so it could otherwise give rise to political persecution on the grounds of opposition and Government issues, which should alert the associations.
"In that process of threats and limitations to the national press underlies a threat to the free exercise of journalism in where workers are involved because as press companies are obliged to pay large sums of money because an entity of the Government decides to act in such a way the effect will move to the weaker layers in which journalists are occupied" he stressed.
Not responsible
Central American CB-24 news channel presented their defense before the Electoral Court to in which they qualify as inaccurate the opinions expressed in the report that the Legal Department of this State body presented.
The channel has as responsibility reviewing and narrating news events, and not making publications on polls; this is why, there is no evidence showing that the company has made payments for the publication.
