Supreme Court May Have Violated International Treaty

The Panamanian Supreme Court might have violated the Treaty on Civil and Political Rights adopted by Panama through Law 14 of 1976 in their action to separate Ana Matilde Gomez from her position as the Attorney General of Panama, said Juan Antonio Tejada, a former Ombudsman and now one of Gomez's defense lawyers. According to Tejada, the treaty expressly enshrines the "right to a fair judge" and the right to submit effective petitions in order to preserve one's rights and liberties. Both rights, Tejada said, have been denied by Judge Wilfredo Saenz, who acted alone in his capacity as the rapporteur in the case against Gomez in rejecting the petitions filed by Gomez. With his unusually swift action Saenz prevented the petitions from reaching the full court. Tejada said that it is both "ironic" and "contradictory" that the Supreme Court in their ruling that orders the separation of Gomez from the position of Attorney General, cited Article 14 of Law 14 of 1976 of that international treaty. Consequently, the lawyer said Gomez would file a complaint with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). "This opens the possibility that we may use the international system to ensure the recognition of Gomez's fundamental guarantees of due process," said Tejada. The defense attorney also said that Gomez is preparing for the investigation ordered by the Supreme Court, as part of the complaint made by former prosecutor Arquimedes Saez. (Source: La Prensa)