Expenditure for work: periodism before burocracy and judicial opacity

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Additionally, the majority of notice holders who have addressed judicial or legal acts have multiple stories per medium. Relationships that thrive on long hours of work to gather information that, if ever, comes from a system with many closed doors.

Juan Manuel Díaz, periodical which covers the judicial themes of La Prensacompared your experience to the greatest practice Tools for judicial investigationorganized by the Foundation for the Development of Liberty Ciudadana, event which took place on October 23.

Juan Manuel, who was informed of the writing of this medium, wrote legal notices 25 years ago. In the middle of the periodic period, visit the Corte Suprema de Justicia, the judges and, on other occasions, visit the doors of the Public Ministry.

But most of the last years have to look for mechanisms to demolish the walls that prevent access to information. For example, while you can obtain the judicial resolutions issued by judges, courts and the own Court, there is still no clear explanation and no legal technique on what is involved.

I also commented that periodicals do not have access to the content of habeas corpusamparos of guarantees and requests for unconstitutionality if there is no prior authorization. There are occasions when there are repetitions in the parts vinculated by the people or the investigation to obtain the document. Some people are very facilitative, others are not. Hope the data will be sent to the media. It all depends on the theme and the circumstances.

The state of opacity

A few years ago, the judiciary issued a notice that allows it to copy judicial resolutions when all parties are notified. This is a document dated October 12, 2021, sent by the Consejo de la Administración de la Carrera Judicial.

For periodism, in addition, it is “a big obstacle”, there are processes that last 20, 30, 40 and more studied. Some people, too, are not in the country.

El Criminal penal systemexplained Juan Manuel, he also has a public calendar for the hearings, unlike the curious system that is there for him. To find out about any of these judicial events, you must call the representation team of the judicial body, referring to the lawyers recognized in the cases or consulting the security personnel of the judicial offices.

Statistics is another issue with who should be responsible for the periodical. Comment that while you have access to the details of the numbers of framed cases, results and tramite, this is not the case, for example, for cases of money laundering and cybercrimes, among others, cannot be updated.

The power of sources

The most useful tool of a judicial periodical, according to Juan Manuel, is its sources, people, say, who want to cultivate and respect, but it is already clear that a periodical must not be friend of a judicial source. “It is always necessary to verify information through different channels,” he said, asserting that rigor is the basic condition of a notification. Anecdotally, it is said that in Panama it is easier to speak with a court magistrate who has a trial. See that the games, añadió, there is “panic” in the periodicals.

Another periodical that compares your experience Leonardo Grinspan, current manager of Radio Panama Yes Los 40. While at the time of collecting information for a periodic investigation into the status of deputies investigated by the escándalo of legislative plans, I found many closed doors. A lot. Both in the Judicial Organization and in the Public Ministry.

Mientras que los periodistas Dalia Pichel Yes Alphonse Grimaldoof the digital environment New Nationpresents the result of an investigation into the implementation of the judicial career.

Eliana MoralesGil

Editora Política/Judiciales