These Panamanian pussies are about to learn the hard way that socialism will use them, abuse them, and toss them aside.
If you want to maintain your American way of life, kiss daddy’s ring or say goodbye to your country. Back to the pueblos, putos.
Did PANAMA handle Bocas del Toro like ABU GHRAIB??
- By : James Bryson
- Category : Bocas del Toro, Crime, Human Interest, Labor, Legal, Local Culture, Riots, Violence
Bocas del Toro
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The government reports more than 280 detainees, spread across several prisons across the country. Lawyers warn of “illegal arrests,” “lack of access to defense,” and “failures” in the justice system.
Since June 14, security forces have invaded communities in the province of Bocas del Toro under Operation Omega, a massive police deployment to end protests with roadblocks in rejection of Law 462, which reforms the Social Security Fund.
Since then, complaints have been filed about excessive use by law enforcement, and since the state of emergency went into effect—which suspended constitutional guarantees—lawyers have warned of “arbitrary detentions” and possible “human rights violations.”
The first warning sign, explains attorney José Luis Santamaría, is that the exact whereabouts of the detainees, spread across at least three provinces outside of Bocas del Toro, are unknown. This compromises the right to defense given the impossibility of these individuals contacting their lawyers.
Santamaría, who is based in the city of David, Chiriquí, is one of 20 lawyers trying to address the cases of people detained in Bocas del Toro. They claim that the police are “creating obstacles” and the justice system is failing to guarantee a fair trial amid the crisis.
The lawyer explained to La Estrella de Panamá that not only are there problems with contacting the detainees for the defense—a key component of the justice system—but there is also a “serious confusion” regarding the jurisdiction and authorities responsible for the detainees, allegedly in the context of protests.
“We asked the police to speak with them, and they said no because of the [state of emergency] decree. I insisted that this was in Bocas del Toro, and that we were in Chiriquí. After speaking with a police chief, he told me there were orders from above not to allow us to see them,” Santamaría said of the detainees’ temporary stay in David on Saturday, June 21.
At the time, there were 74 detainees—including men, women, and minors—said the lawyer, who, faced with the situation, filed a writ of habeas corpus, a constitutional guarantee to which every person is entitled in the event of possible illegal detention. However, they faced another problem there: the Chiriquí Superior Court declined to review it, arguing that it lacked jurisdiction and that it should be filed with the Supreme Court, according to court documents obtained by this media outlet.
Human rights
At least 70 people were taken to Veraguas after being detained in the city of Changuinola in recent days. They are believed to be in the provincial penitentiary, and according to Santiago lawyer Lirieth Rodríguez, they are warning of “mistreatment” and “abuse.”
“They are in poor condition; they were beaten. They have told us that they were prevented from eating and given pellets to eat,” said Rodríguez, a member of a team of five lawyers who was able to speak with the detainees. They claim that, according to testimony, they have suffered “physical, psychological, and even sexual abuse.”
“A young man was kicked and hit with the butts of guns, even holding them to his temples. We have testimony that the detainees’ sexual parts were touched, and that they were locked in a room and pepper-sprayed; these are acts of torture,” Rodríguez told this outlet, clarifying that as of Wednesday, “none of the detainees had been brought before a competent authority or court. Furthermore, we have been told they have nothing to do with the acts of vandalism. Many were detained without even being part of the protest.”
The Dean sought the Ombudsman’s Office’s position on these allegations, but they indicated they would not provide details as an investigation remains ongoing. They confirmed that as of yesterday, they had interviewed 169 of the detainees.
According to the report prepared by Rodríguez and four other lawyers, despite the fact that the detainees have not been given precautionary measures, they are being held in cells with common criminals.
“I can’t say they’re all holy doves, but they have the right to the presumption of innocence. Legality and formality have been completely ignored,” Santamaría stated.
Another problem they report is that the families of the detainees have not been informed of anything, considering that they are incommunicado due to the suspension of communications ordered by the government, and furthermore, there are no measures in place.
Without habeas corpus?
Yesterday, at least five habeas corpus petitions were filed before the Supreme Court of Justice. If they are accepted, the court must determine with certainty the location and order of the detainees.
For attorney Gonzalo Mocada Luna, another of the legal experts involved in these proceedings, but from the province of Panama, the most basic task is to determine the exact location of all the detainees, since “no authority has provided any definitive information.”
“We have information that people were taken from the street, but also from their homes, but it’s not possible that we don’t know where they are, whether they’re in a hospital or jail. There’s talk that the director of the police is responsible, others say the director of the prison system is receiving them […] I’m concerned that if we’re supposedly in a democracy, this isn’t clear,” he warned.
The jurist expressed his concern about the cabinet decree that established a state of emergency in Bocas del Toro, which suspended habeas corpus, but which was later “corrected” with another decree on Tuesday. “It was completely illegal; they couldn’t have done it because Panama is a party to treaties and conventions that prohibit the suspension of habeas corpus.”
Authorities claim the detainees are allegedly linked to criminal groups, a claim denied, according to testimony gathered by lawyers.
“Even if someone has committed a crime, it’s possible that the proceedings could be overturned if the arrest was made illegally, as we’ve found in several cases,” Santamaría said.
This newspaper sought the Ministry of Security’s version of the matter, but received no comment.
