Panamanians see threat to freedom of expression: poll

(PanamaNewsRoom) Over 54  percent of Panamanians see freedom of expression at risk under the Martinelli administration according to a survey conducted by Unimer on behalf of La Prensa, March 17-21

From a sample of 2,110 thousand people 54.4% said that freedom of expression is at "some risk" in the administration of Ricardo Martinelli. The threat ie perceived as greater by respondents aged 25 to 44, and  by the inhabitants of Bocas del Toro and Chiriqui, scenes of the recent protests by Law 30 ( or "9-in-one") and Law 8 (Changing the mininf code) )

39.5% considered that there is no threat to freedom of expression, and 2.7% think the situation is the same as previous governments. The rest did not answer.

The margin of error is 2.8%.

Most respondents (58.6%) considered the expulsion of the Spanish journalists Francisco Paco Gómez and Nadal Pilar Chato as unfair.  Both were "voluntarily repatriated" to Madrid on 28 February, after being arrested for involvement in demonstrations against mining code changes.

This week, the a Spanish political group talked of the  "constant harassment by the Government of Panama to journalists and social activists, " and asked the Spanish government to ask for explanation from Panamanian authorities about the treatment of Gomez and Chato .·

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Original Source: PanamaNewsRoom

Date Retrieved: March 25, 2011