government

Reform protest planned

The Red Democracia Ciudadana, an organization that fought against the country's military regimes, has planned a protest for Sept. 3 against the security reforms enacted by President Martín Torrijos.

Miguel Antonio Bernal, a member of the organization, explained that the reforms, which were published last week in the Gazette, violate due process and the presumption of innocence, as established by the Constitution. He added that the decrees also run counter to a number of international conventions related to human rights. The protest will take place in front of the Asamblea Nacional building.

The reforms have also been denounced by other organizations, such as the Consejo Nacional de Transparencia contra la Corrupción, the Alianza Ciudadana Pro Justicia and the Comisión de Justicia y Paz.

Those groups have pledged to file legal challenges against the reforms in both Panamanian and international courts.

Of particular concern to these groups is the creation of a national intelligence service, which would have powers to keep files on individuals and businesses. While the details of this provision still have to be debated, the existence of an intelligence organization is enough to raise concerns that Panama is returning to its military past.

Former Defensor del Pueblo Juan Antonio Tejada also made a statement against the reforms, saying that they should have been approved by the Asamblea after extensive public consultations, and not passed by decree.