This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PANAMA 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PM LABOR HUMAN RIGHTSPOLMIL
SUBJECT: PANAMA ATTORNEY GENERAL CONFRONTS PRISON ABUSE 
 
REF: PANAMA 2004 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 
 
------- 
 SUMMARY 
 ------- 
¶1.  (U)  Panama's Attorney General made an unscheduled visit 
to La Joya Maximum Security Prison following newspaper 
reports detailing prisoner abuse by guards in the crowded 
facility.  After her visit, the AG told reporters she had 
found evidence of human rights violations and that the police 
custodians responsible for the beatings would be punished. 
Throughout 2005 the Panamanian press carried frequent stories 
on poor treatment of inmates.  The most recent stories, 
showing photographs of prisoners allegedly beaten by guards, 
may finally force the Government of Panama (GOP) to do 
something to fix their dysfunctional prison system.  Embassy 
has received no reports of abuse directed against the three 
American prisoners at La Joya and will continue to monitor 
the situation.  End summary. 
 
 
¶2.  (U)  Panama's Attorney General Ana Matilde Gomez, 
accompanied by representatives from the Ombudsman's Human 
Rights Office, made an unannounced visit to La Joya prison 
last Friday in response to abuse complaints from 23 
prisoners.  Gomez's visit came after a series of newspaper 
articles detailed alleged abuse of prisoners by guards at La 
Joya.  The articles included photographs of prisoners with 
bruises and black and blue marks on their bodies that 
allegedly resulted from beatings by guards.  The prisoner's 
complaints allege that a group of guards entered a cell block 
at 1:20 a.m. and beat prisoners with  night sticks and rifle 
butts.  Following her visit to La Joya, Gomez told reporters 
she had found evidence of human rights violations against the 
prisoners and on Tuesday announced that members of the 
Panamanian National Police (PNP) will be charged with human 
rights violations.  Panama's prison system (see reftel) 
suffers from overcrowding, poor health and sanitary 
conditions, a shortage of professional prison guards, and a 
lack of educational and rehabilitative programs for inmates. 
 
 
Bad Press for Prisons in 2005 
----------------------------- 
¶3.  (SBU)  Throughout 2005 Panama's prison system received 
negative newspaper coverage.  In April 2005, police used tear 
gas to quell a riot at La Joya Maximum Security Prison.  The 
water system at La Joya and the adjoining La Joyita prison 
suffered repeated breakdowns and  provided water for only two 
hours per day.  Several prisoners at La Joya became ill with 
tuberculosis.  All these events were openly reported by the 
media.  The complaints of a prisoner rights organization 
(Fundacion de Apoyo al Detendido) about prison conditions 
also received extensive coverage.  During the preparation of 
the 2005 Human Rights report (HRR), EmbOffs interviewed the 
Director of Prisons, the Police Internal Affairs, and the 
Ombudsman all of whom spoke openly about the problems in the 
prison system citing low budgets and lack of training for 
guards as contributing to the problems.  Although the 
European Union provides one million Euros a year for prison 
improvements, the jail system is close to collapse. 
 
 
 
Prison Guards Lack Training 
--------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU)  Director of Penitentiaries (DGSP), Doctor Jose 
Calderon (protect) told EmbOffs that his organization has 
only 440 custodians to provide security at Panama's seven 
principal prisons.  The DGSP is forced to rely on 1,500 
Panamanian National Police (PNP) to provide security in and 
around prisons.  Many of the PNP are untrained to perform 
this job and some simply do not like guarding prisoners. 
Calderon told EmbOffs that this contributes to problems and 
tensions within the prison system.  Calderon, a psychiatrist, 
appears to sincerely want to reform the prison system but has 
a daunting and perhaps impossible task.  His goal is to hire 
1000 additional civilian prison guards in the next five years 
to reduce the prison's reliance on the PNP and to create a 
professional prison guard cadre.  Calderon and Ombudsman Juan 
Antonio Tejada (protect) also told EmbOffs that gay inmates 
are sometimes harassed by guards and prisoners. 
Lengthy Pretrial Detention 
-------------------------- 
¶5.  (SBU)  Pretrial detention causes most of the prison 
overcrowding.  Approximately 63% of the prisoners held in 
Panamanian jails are awaiting trial and have not received 
their sentences.  The time from arrest to trial and 
sentencing takes on average two years.  Pretrial detention in 
excess of the maximum sentence for the alleged crime is not 
uncommon.  Although it is possible to pay bail and remain 
free while awaiting trial, the process is complicated and 
excludes certain types of crimes.  If they are eligible to 
receive bail, many detainees and their families simply do not 
have the money to pay for it. 
 
Americans Well Treated 
---------------------- 
¶6.  (SBU)  The 22 American prisoners in Panama, mostly 
arrested for drug trafficking, find the prison conditions 
harsh but generally are well treated by prison officials. 
The Americans are the second largest group of foreign 
prisoners in Panama, exceeded in size only by the Colombians. 
 Poor food, lack of sanitation, boredom, and Panama's 
tropical heat are their main complaints.  A treaty with the 
U.S. allows some of the Americans to complete their sentences 
in U.S. prisons.  Last year two Americans awaiting trial with 
health problems were granted release but must remain in 
Panama until their cases are finalized.  Three Americans are 
currently in Panama's most comfortable prison, Renacer. 
Renacer, situated in the jungle alongside the Panama Canal, 
allows  most prisoners to spend the entire day outside.  Most 
prisoners, however, will remain in one of Panama's harsher 
jails that offer few opportunities for work or education but 
do offer frequent visits by family members and for some lucky 
prisoners even a short visit home at Christmas. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
The majority of the prison problems in Panama result from 
overcrowding and underfunding.  Pretrial detention accounts 
for 63% of the prisoner population and a ramshackle judicial 
system fuels the overcrowding.  Underfunding places prisoners 
in crumbling jail structures that are unhealthy for both the 
guards' and the inmates' physical and mental health. 
Finally, tight budgets provide little training for prison 
guards who have a job that is physically and psychologically 
demanding.  Anyone who has ever visited a Panamanian prison 
can only hope that Attorney General Gomez and Prison Director 
Calderon can begin the process of reforming the prison 
system.  End comment. 
 
EATON