906:
279:
103:
In addition to the stipulations of "free, prompt, and uninterrupted" administration of justice and the establishment of the Public
Ministry, the Constitution has several other statements about the application of laws, the treatment of citizens under the law, and the handling of prisoners. Article 21
191:
near the border of Panama in
September 1985 after reports that he had been taken into custody by members of the Defense Forces. There also were allegations that Dr. Mauro Zúñiga, head of an opposition group called the National Civilian Coordinating Committee (Coordinador Civilista Nacional—COCINA),
94:
There are two alternates for each official of the ministry; all are appointive positions. The attorney general, the solicitor general, and their alternates are executive appointees; district attorneys and municipal attorneys are appointed by their immediate superiors in the judicial system. They in
152:
is recognized: "An offender surprised flagrante delicto may be apprehended by any person and must be delivered immediately to the authorities." No person may be held for more than twenty-four hours by the police without being brought before competent authority or being charged with an offense. The
82:
has defended the interest of the state, fostered the enforcement and execution of laws, judicial decisions, and administrative orders, supervised the official conduct and the performance of duty of public officials, prosecuted offenses of constitutional or legal provisions, and served as legal
167:) from a competent authority or to assist victims of crime or natural disaster. In general, all testimony must be presented in written form and be signed by investigators, accused, and witnesses. If a case warrants prosecution, it is referred to the appropriate court. Although
199:
and for the prompt and uninterrupted administration of justice, several incidents suggested that these principles were sometimes violated. Note that various articles of the
Constitution guaranteeing basic rights were suspended during the temporary
140:
Under a section of the
Constitution headed "Individual and Social Rights and Duties," private citizens are assured that they can be prosecuted by government authorities only for violations of the Constitution or the law. The procedure for
119:
Article 42 provides that "In criminal matters, a law favorable to the accused always has priority and retroactivity, even though the judgement may have become final." Article 163 gives the president power to grant
160:, and the authorities are forbidden to force testimony from any close relative, whether related by blood or marriage, that is, "within the fourth degree of consanguinity or the second degree of affinity."
145:
is also described, stating that arrests may result from response to complaints made to the police or from direct action on the part of police or DENI agents at the scene of the crime or disturbance.
208:
staff report on Panama, over 1,500 persons were arrested between June and
September 1987. Credible evidence suggests that many of them were subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment while in jail.
179:
Considerable evidence emerged that many constitutional provisions were not realized in the daily lives of
Panamanian citizens as of the late 1980s. The most striking example involved the case of
328:
During the 1987 state of emergency, we were told, the secretary of the
Supreme Court quickly noted in each judicial file that appeals were not legally admissible. Even the right of
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declared in 1987. Moreover, the
Panamanian government responded with excessive brutality to popular marches and demonstrations in Panama in mid-1987. According to a December 1987
156:
During the course of an investigation, the accused and all witnesses are questioned, the latter under oath. The
Constitution guarantees that no accused person may be forced to
132:. Article 187 states that a person convicted of an offense against public order may not hold any judicial office in the future. Article 197 establishes trial by jury.
842:
43:. The first Panamanian codes, promulgated in 1917, were patterned upon those of Colombia and other Latin American states that had earlier broken away from the
171:
is permissible in some cases, it is a privilege subject to many restrictions and may be denied at the request of the prosecutor if a judge concurs.
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58:, a feature of Anglo-American legal procedure that is not found in many Latin American codes, has been constitutionally guaranteed in Panama.
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227:
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321:
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183:, a former senior government official, who had criticized the role of the Defense Forces in politics and the alleged role of
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was suspended, including those petitions that were being processed at the time the state of emergency was decreed.
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157:
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Constitution forbids arrest or detention for violation of purely civil obligations or for debts.
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83:
adviser to administrative officials. The functions of the Public
Ministry are fulfilled by the
788:
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47:. Therefore, Panama's legal heritage incorporated elements from Spain and its colonies.
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usually have had little leeway in matters of procedure, delays, and degrees of guilt.
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28:
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35:. For the first several years of its existence Panamanian law depended upon the
288:
Steve C. Ropp (December 1987). Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty (ed.).
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Investigators may enter a person's home only with consent or a written order (
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32:
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40:
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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62:, another Anglo-American practice, has also made some headway.
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in drug trafficking. Spadafora's headless body was found in
316:. Americas Watch report. Human Rights Watch. p. 41.
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turn appoint subordinate personnel in their own offices.
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348:Guide to Law Online: Panama - Library of Congress
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87:of the republic, the solicitor general, the
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78:The Public Ministry provided for in the
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195:Although the Constitution provides for
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7:
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228:Intellectual property law in Panama
54:have also been accepted in Panama.
14:
904:
277:
91:, and the municipal attorneys.
442:Reunification of Gran Colombia
158:incriminate himself or herself
108:, and Article 22 provides for
1:
136:Rights and duties of citizens
298:. Administration of Justice.
717:Water supply and sanitation
124:for political offenses, to
112:. Article 29 prohibits the
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902:
782:
682:
618:
520:
459:
296:Federal Research Division
233:Law enforcement in Panama
192:was abducted and beaten.
525:Administrative divisions
437:Separation from Colombia
104:guarantees freedom from
291:Panama: A Country Study
29:Spanish legal tradition
851:Law of Central America
313:Human Rights in Panama
238:Penal system of Panama
223:Constitution of Panama
27:with influences from
206:United States Senate
50:Several features of
74:The Public Ministry
651:Telecommunications
218:Abortion in Panama
202:state of emergency
181:Dr. Hugo Spadafora
175:Alleged violations
89:district attorneys
60:Judicial precedent
52:Anglo-American law
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148:The validity of
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106:arbitrary arrest
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56:Habeas corpus
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692:Demographics
646:Panama Canal
560:Penal system
544:
530:Constitution
353:Panama Legal
329:
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80:Constitution
77:
49:
23:is based on
17:
15:
876:El Salvador
707:LGBT rights
623:Agriculture
479:Earthquakes
68:magistrates
871:Costa Rica
750:Literature
635:(currency)
570:Presidents
474:Darién Gap
244:References
189:Costa Rica
37:legal code
33:Roman laws
891:Nicaragua
881:Guatemala
697:Education
661:Transport
590:SENAFRONT
535:Elections
499:Volcanism
452:Geography
424:1964–1977
419:1904–1964
414:1821–1903
308:Compare:
25:civil law
920:Category
886:Honduras
805:Category
712:Religion
513:Politics
393:articles
212:See also
41:Colombia
789:Outline
735:Cuisine
727:Culture
675:Society
656:Tourism
633:Balboa
628:Banking
611:Economy
484:Islands
431:present
409:to 1821
401:History
185:Noriega
143:arrests
122:pardons
18:law of
896:Panama
866:Belize
810:Portal
765:People
702:Health
494:Rivers
469:Cities
391:
389:Panama
320:
286:.
130:parole
64:Judges
20:Panama
796:Index
760:Music
755:Media
740:Films
687:Crime
585:SENAN
464:Biota
429:1977–
745:Flag
318:ISBN
169:bail
66:and
31:and
16:The
595:SPI
545:Law
922::
326:.
294:.
252:^
116:.
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