Martinelli refuses request of Human Rights Foundation

[Judi Lynn]

Panamá, jueves 7 de abril de 2011
Martinelli refuses request of Human Rights Foundation

On Wednesday, President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, said that no laws will be changed in order to allow the re-admittance of Spanish journalist Paco Gómez Nadal to the country, as was requested on Tuesday by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).

"I can not break the law. If he (Gómez Nadal) wants to return, the law would have to be changed, because, as it stands, he can not return," Martinelli told reporters in response to the request for HRF to allow the return of the human rights journalist and activist, as well as fellow Spanish journalist Pilar Chato.

Gómez Nadal and Pilar Chato were repatriated to their country in late February, shortly after being arrested by the National Police of Panama during a protest by indigenous groups against mining, in front of the National Assembly. The two were accused by the government of instigating.

The Spanish journalist, a harsh critic of the Martinelli administration, from his weekly column in the newspaper La Prensa, is coordinator in Panama of the advocacy organization "Human Rights Everywhere", while Chato is editor of the newspaper “Montañés de Cantabria”.

More:
http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2011/04/07/hoy/english/news_6791.asp

[naaman fletcher]

1. I thought HRF was a CIA tool. Are they reliable now? nt