UN asks that human rights standards be guaranteed in demonstrations in Panama
The UN called on the Panamanian authorities on Saturday to fully guarantee the international human rights standards applicable to the demonstrations, and made available its technical assistance for the full implementation of them.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for Central America ruled this way before the arrest of 27 protesters and the violent aggression against one of them by anti-riot agents in the framework of a student protest last Wednesday in the Panamanian capital.
A video widely broadcast on local television and social media shows student Ileana Corea subjected to a riot while an agent from this unit, wearing a full-face helmet, bulletproof vest and protective shoulder pads, repeatedly blows the protester's face.
Corea is prosecuted for assault due to the fact that she was denounced by the anti-riot agent, who received a three-day medical rest for a blow to the neck that the protester gave her and that caused her to react by giving them multiple blows to the face, as explained by the director of the National Police (PN), Jorge Miranda.
The representative of the OHCHR Regional Office, Alberto Brunori, has contacted the Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc , and they agreed to join forces in order to call on the authorities to adopt all necessary measures to investigate and process the complaints received and prevent future abuses.
Likewise, both instances agreed to call for all the demonstrations to be carried out in a peaceful manner and with full guarantees, thus contributing to the democratic debate, added the statement from the United Nations entity.
The Ombudsman's Office reported Thursday that it launched an investigation into the events on Wednesday against the protesters and members of the press who covered the protests, and stressed that there are repeated complaints of police abuse that the institution hears.
A video widely broadcast on local television and social media shows student Ileana Corea subjected to a riot while an agent from this unit, wearing a full-face helmet, bulletproof vest and protective shoulder pads, repeatedly blows the protester's face.
Corea is prosecuted for assault due to the fact that she was denounced by the anti-riot agent, who received a three-day medical rest for a blow to the neck that the protester gave her and that caused her to react by giving them multiple blows to the face, as explained by the director of the National Police (PN), Jorge Miranda.
The representative of the OHCHR Regional Office, Alberto Brunori, has contacted the Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc , and they agreed to join forces in order to call on the authorities to adopt all necessary measures to investigate and process the complaints received and prevent future abuses.
Likewise, both instances agreed to call for all the demonstrations to be carried out in a peaceful manner and with full guarantees, thus contributing to the democratic debate, added the statement from the United Nations entity.
The Ombudsman's Office reported Thursday that it launched an investigation into the events on Wednesday against the protesters and members of the press who covered the protests, and stressed that there are repeated complaints of police abuse that the institution hears.