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RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0952
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RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DOJ WASHDC
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//J5/J2/POLADUSAID

UNCLAS PANAMA 000380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN GREG SCHIFFER, G/TIP RACHEL OWEN, G, 
INL, DRL, PRM, IWI, WHA/PPC 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
SUBJECT: PANAMA 2006 TIP REPORT 
 
REF: A. 06 STATE 03836 
 
     ¶B. 2005 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT FOR PANAMA 
     ¶C. 05 PANAMA 00608 
     ¶D. 05 PANAMA 00959 
 
------- 
 SUMMARY 
 ------- 
¶1.  (SBU) During 2005 Panama continued its anti-TIP efforts 
and enforcement of Law 16, the anti-TIP legislation enacted 
in 2004.  Embassy believes trafficking in Panama is 
overwhelmingly internal to the country and limited in scale. 
Panama worked closely with the International Labor 
Organization (ILO) to reduce trafficking. ILO produced books 
and pamphlets to educate the public on sexual exploitation 
and trafficking and the criminal penalties against them in 
Panama. ILO also provided instructional pamphlets for 
Panamanian migration officials on how to recognize 
trafficking victims.  As a result of anti-TIP training 
provided by the U.S. Department of Justice for Panamanian 
judges, police, and attorneys, Panama has developed an 
Anti-TIP manual to aid their efforts against trafficking. 
The prosecutor's office responsible for TIP has asked the 
Embassy to arrange additional training.  In December 2005, 
Panama received funding through the Embassy to renovate an 
existing TIP shelter, provide training for victim's 
assistance, and construct a new shelter for TIP victims.  A 
foreign national who owns a club with female dancers was 
arrested and charged with procurement in May 2005.  Although 
free on $15,000 bail, he remains under investigation and is 
not allowed to leave Panama.  The Government of Panama (GOP) 
continues its investigation of several Panamanian National 
Police (PNP) officers arrested in March 2005 for sexual abuse 
of minors in Darien Province.  The "alternadora" visa for 
prostitutes remains legal, sometimes making TIP 
investigations difficult.  The Attorney General, Ministry of 
Social Development, and Judicial Technical Police Sex Crimes 
Unit are committed to stopping TIP but lack of funding often 
limits their efforts.  The Attorney General also has vowed to 
eliminate the "alternadora" visa.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In accordance with Reftel A, Panama is pleased to 
submit its 2006 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. 
 
(U) Is the country a country of origin, transit, or 
destination for international trafficked men, women, or 
children?  Specify numbers for each group; how they were 
trafficked, to where, and for what purpose.  Does the 
trafficking occur within the country's borders? 
 
(SBU) Embassy believes internal (verses international) 
trafficking is by far the most serious problem in Panama. 
The Embassy still estimates that approximately 125-375 
children (both boys and girls), 75-125 women, and 0 men are 
trafficked in Panama.  95% of these persons are trafficked 
internally.  International trafficking involves an estimated 
10-25 persons per year in Panama.  Several hundred Colombian 
women and a small number from the Dominican Republic come to 
Panama each year to work legally as prostitutes using 
"alternadora" visas.  Panamanian consular officers have also 
assisted Panamanian citizens in Jamaica, Guatemala, and 
Mexico who were victims of trafficking. 
 
¶3.  (U) Does it occur in territory outside of the 
government's control (e.g. in a civil war situation)? 
 
(SBU) The Darien province, a remote undeveloped region of 
Panama where the government has limited presence, has a high 
incidence of commercial sexual exploitation of children.  The 
Darien province also contains semiautonomous indigenous areas 
where there are rumors of indigenous leaders offering 
indigenous girls for prostitution. 
 
¶4.  (U) Are any estimates or reliable numbers available as to 
the extent or magnitude of the problem?  Please include any 
numbers of victims.  What is (are) the source(s) of available 
information on trafficking in persons or what plans are in 
place (if any) to undertake documentation of trafficking? 
How reliable are the numbers and these sources?  Are certain 
groups of persons more at risk of being trafficked (e.g. 
women and children, boys versus girls, certain ethnic groups, 
refugees, etc.)? 
 
(SBU) Please see paragraph two for estimated numbers of 
trafficking victims in Pamama.  GOP has provided the Embassy 
with reliable statistics on arrests and prosecutions for TIP. 
 The GOP also tracks arrests and deportation of illegal 
foreign prostitutes.  As of December 2005, the GOP reported 
investigating seven cases of sexual trafficking, eleven cases 
of child pornography, and six cases of pimping.  The 
International Labor Organization (ILO) publishes an annual 
report on sexual exploitation of children in Panama that is 
also considered a reliable source of information.  The arrest 
in March 2005 of four high-ranking police officers in the 
Darien province for sexual abuse of minors was widely 
reported in the media.  Based on statistics provided by the 
GOP and ILO/IPEC reports, female children are more at risk 
for trafficking than other groups. 
 
¶5.  (U) Please provide a general overview of the trafficking 
situation in the country and any changes since the last TIP 
Report (e.g. changes in direction).  Also briefly explain the 
political will to address trafficking in persons.  Other 
items to address may include:  What kind of conditions are 
the victims trafficked into?  Which populations are targeted 
by the traffickers?  Who are the traffickers?  What methods 
are used to approach victims?  (Are they offered lucrative 
jobs, sold by their families, approached by friends of 
friends, etc.?)  What methods are used to move the victims 
(e.g., are false documents being used?). 
 
(SBU) Probably 200-300 Panamanian women and children annually 
are trafficked into massage parlors and dancing 
establishments that also serve as brothels.  Some women work 
in the streets as prostitutes.  Children trafficked for 
sexual exploitation are trafficked primarily in Panama City. 
Some of these children come from the remote Darien province 
to Panama City.   Child domestic laborers are transported 
from the rural western provinces of Panama and work in 
households in the capital, Panama City.  ILO studies also 
show women trafficked for sexual purposes have been offered 
opportunities to work as dancers in night clubs, accompany 
tourists to other countries, work as models, or to give 
massages.   The majority of Colombian woman who work as 
prostitutes do so willingly using the alternadora visa and 
are not trafficking victims. 
 
(SBU) Panama has the political will to tackle the problem but 
it is an issue that has only been addressed within the last 
two years and will require more time to eradicate.  Panama 
enacted strong anti-TIP legislation in 2004 and a number of 
persons and agencies within the Government of Panama (GOP) 
are strongly committed to stopping trafficking.  More funding 
and training for police and other agencies is needed to 
effectively counter TIP in Panama.  Since the Panamanian 
court system needs on average two years to try and convict a 
case, no convictions under the 2004 Anti-Tip law have 
occurred.  In March 2006, Panama will begin the trafficking 
prosecution of the owner of a bar that employed Colombian 
prostitutes.  A conviction under the 2004 law would show a 
strong commitment to stopping TIP in Panama.  The 2004 
anti-TIP legislation called for a special tax on the rental, 
sale, and viewing of adult movies along with an airport 
departure tax to fund anti-TIP programs run by the National 
Committee for the Prevention of Sexual Crimes (CONAPREDES). 
However, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has 
questioned the legality of this tax and no funds have been 
collected for CONAPREDES.  The lack of funding makes it 
difficult to conduct investigations and prosecute persons 
involved in TIP.  Also, the GOP reinstated the alternadora 
visa for prostitutes in 2005 despite the Attorney General's 
opposition.  Since prostitution has been legal in Panama for 
many years there is resistance to eliminating what has become 
a source of business revenue.  ILO reports cite traditional 
beliefs in Panama and other Central American countries that 
masculinity is tied to sexual activity, especially with young 
women.  Citizens of most countries in the region - with the 
exception of Ecuador, Peru, and the Dominican Republic - do 
not require visas prior to traveling to Panama, making it 
relatively easy for the few international trafficking cases 
that the Embassy estimates to occur to enter Panama using 
normal transportation. 
 
¶6.  (U) What are the limitations on the government's ability 
to address this problem in practice?  For example, is funding 
for police or other institutions inadequate?  Is overall 
corruption a problem?  Does the government lack the resources 
to aid victims? 
 
(SBU) The Government of Panama (GOP) has not adequately 
funded anti-TIP programs.  Two examples of this lack of 
funding include the failure to approve a tax measure to fund 
CONAPREDES and the Public Ministry's lack of a specific 
budget for anti-TIP programs.  The Judicial Technical Police 
(PTJ) Sex Crimes Unit works in a very crowded office that 
offers little privacy to interview victims.  The Sex Crimes 
Unit also lacks funding for training, cars, computers, and 
aid to victims.  Many of the anti-TIP resources are 
concentrated in or near the capital Panama City. 
 
¶7.  (U) To what extent does the government systematically 
monitor its anti-trafficking efforts (on all fronts -- 
prosecution, prevention and victim protection) and 
periodically make available, publicly or privately and 
directly or through regional/international organizations, its 
assessments of these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
(SBU) Throughout the year, the GOP provided the Embassy with 
information on arrests and prosecutions for trafficking.  At 
the end of 2005, the GOP published a report with detailed 
statistics on arrests for sexual trafficking, pimping, sexual 
tourism, and pornography with minors.  The National 
Commission for the Prevention of Sexual Crimes (CONAPREDES) 
held bi-monthly meetings to review all trafficking cases and 
further develop policies to eliminate TIP in Panama.  The GOP 
fully cooperated with the Embassy in scheduling visits to 
officials involved in anti-TIP work during the preparation of 
the Human Rights Report, Trafficking in Persons Report, and a 
visit to Panama by G/TIP. 
 
¶8. PREVENTION: 
 
¶A.  (U) Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in that country?  If no, why not? 
 
(SBU) The GOP is aware of its trafficking problem and has 
enacted appropriate legislation.  Several GOP officials - 
most notably the Attorney General and the TIP prosecutors - 
are strongly committed to enforcing the legislation.  The 
lack of resources devoted to anti-TIP programs limits 
Panama,s enforcement, investigation, and prosecution 
efforts. 
¶B.  (U) Which government agencies are involved in anti- 
trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the lead? 
 
(SBU) The Attorney General is the President of CONAPREDES 
which is responsible for Panama,s overall anti-TIP policy. 
CONAPREDES meets bimonthly to coordinate Anti-TIP policy. 
Other members of CONAPREDES include the Minister of Social 
Development (MIDES), Minister of Government and Justice 
(MOGJ), Minister of Economy and Finance (MEF), Minister of 
Health, Minister of Education, the President of the Child and 
Adolescent Courts, the Director of the Judicial Technical 
Police, the Ombudsman's Office, a representative of the 
National Network of Children and Adolescents, and a 
representative of the National Bar Association.  MOGJ 
develops policies to reduce TIP, MIDES provides victim's 
protection and services, and the PTJ investigates and arrests 
persons involved in trafficking through their Sex Crimes 
Unit.  The Public Ministry also has three prosecutors 
assigned to TIP cases. 
 
¶C.  (U) Are there, or have there been, government-run anti- 
trafficking information or education campaigns?  If so, 
briefly describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness.  Do these campaigns target potential 
trafficking victims and/or the demand for trafficking (e.g. 
"clients" of prostitutes or beneficiaries of forced labor). 
 
(SBU) CONAPREDES and the National Council of Reporters 
sponsored a campaign of radio and television commercials, 
posters, and newspaper ads dealing with commercial sexual 
exploitation of minors.  One of the television ads showed a 
man being arrested at his dinner table in front of his family 
for having paid for sexual relations with a minor.  The 
campaign has a definite shock value and was clearly targeted 
at businessmen who frequent "Gentlemen's Clubs" where 
prostitutes are readily available.  The GOP in conjunction 
with the International Labor Organization (ILO) has produced 
a series of small books and pamphlets on sexual exploitation 
and trafficking.  A public march took place on November 18, 
2005 as part of the International Day to Eliminate Violence 
against Women.  CONAPREDES also developed handouts about 
commercial sexual exploitation.  These campaigns were aimed 
at the demand for trafficking victims. 
 
¶D.  (U) Does the government support other programs to prevent 
trafficking? (e.g., to promote women's participation in 
economic decision-making or efforts to keep children in 
school.)  Please explain. 
 
(SBU) The GOP sponsored several programs through the Ministry 
of Social development (MIDES) to reduce child labor, increase 
HIV awareness, and combat violence against women.  The GOP 
received assistance from the UNHCR in assisting refugees in 
the Darien to develop income producing projects.  Casa 
Esperanza, an NGO, operated education programs for the 
children of migrant workers to attend school.  The GOP, 
ILO/OIT, and Casa Esperanza also conducted a campaign to stop 
child labor in Panama.  UNICEF also provided Panama with maps 
showing the most common used routes used by traffickers of 
children in Panama. 
 
¶F.  (U) What is the relationship between government 
officials, NGOs, other relevant organizations and other 
elements of civil society on the trafficking issue? 
 
(SBU) The GOP has worked closely with ILO, the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM), and the U.S. Department of 
Justice (DOJ) to provide training and education on TIP to 
government officials, members of the media, and the general 
public in Panama.  In March, DOJ provided training to a group 
of Panamanian attorneys, judges, and police on TIP.  In May, 
ILO held a workshop for 40 media representatives to educate 
them on trafficking and the importance of protecting the 
identity of victims. In July, IOM sponsored a seminar on 
trafficking in persons for representatives of the Public 
Ministry, CONAPREDES, and TIP prosecutors.  Casa Esperanza, 
an NGO that works to eliminate child labor in Panama and aid 
at-risk children, sponsors an annual gala fund-raiser 
attended by many socially prominent Panamanians 
 
¶G.  (U) Does it monitor immigration and emigration patterns 
for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement agencies 
screen for potential trafficking victims along borders? 
 
(SBU) Panama,s Immigration Directorate increased its efforts 
to stop the flow of illegal immigrants to and through Panama. 
 The operations manual used by all Panamanian Public Forces 
contains instructions on identifying potential trafficking 
victims.  The Ministry of Government and Justice (MOGJ) began 
planning to reorganize a portion of the Panamanian National 
Police (PNP) into a dedicated border security force to 
further counter illegal migration.  DHS/ICE works closely 
with Panamanian Immigration on detection and investigation of 
alien smuggling and TIP. 
 
¶H.  (U) Is there a mechanism for coordination and 
communication between various agencies, internal, 
international, and multilateral on trafficking-related 
matters, such as a multi- agency working group or a task 
force?  Does the government have a trafficking in persons 
working group or single point of contact?  Does the 
government have a public corruption task force? 
 
(SBU) Panama,s 2004 anti-TIP law (commonly referred to as 
Law 16) created the National Commission for the Prevention of 
Sex Crimes or CONAPREDES.  CONAPREDES meets bimonthly to 
coordinate national policy on combating TIP.  CONAPREDES has 
representatives from the principal government agencies in 
Panama to include the Attorney General,s office, the 
Panamanian National Police, the Ministry of Labor, the 
Ministry of Social Development, and the Ministry of Health. 
The Attorney General,s Office has an anti-corruption 
prosecutor.  The Ministry of Economics and Finance has a 
special auditing division.  The National Council for 
Transparency is headed by a Vice Minister for Anti-Corruption. 
 
¶J.  (U) Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If so, which agencies were 
involved in developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the 
process?  What steps has the government taken to disseminate 
the action plan? 
 
(SBU) Panama,s national plan of action to combat TIP is 
based on public law and operating instructions for all 
Panamanian Public Forces.  Panama,s anti-TIP law provides 
instructions for prevention and prosecution of TIP and also 
contains provisions for victim's protection.  All branches of 
the GOP to include the National Police, Ministry of Health, 
Ministry of Social development, and the Attorney General,s 
office worked to develop Law 16.  Casa Esperanza and Hogar 
Malambo (NGOs serving abused children) and churches in Panama 
were consulted during the development of this legislation. 
The GOP has developed an Anti-TIP Operations Manual for 
police, judges, and prosecutors.  The GOP distributed copies 
of this manual to all the appropriate agencies. 
 
¶9.  (U) INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS: 
 
For questions A-D, posts should highlight in particular 
whether or not the country has enacted any new legislation 
since the last TIP report. 
¶A.  (U) Does the country have a law specifically prohibiting 
trafficking in persons - both trafficking for sexual 
exploitation and trafficking for non-sexual purposes (e.g. 
forced labor)? If so, what is the law?  Does the law(s) cover 
both internal and external (transnational) forms of 
trafficking? If not, under what other laws can traffickers be 
prosecuted?  For example, are there laws against slavery or 
the exploitation of prostitution by means of coercion or 
fraud?  Are these other laws being used in trafficking cases? 
 Are these laws, taken together, adequate to cover the full 
scope of trafficking in persons?  Please provide a full 
inventory of trafficking laws, including civil penalties, 
(e.g., civil forfeiture laws and laws against illegal debt). 
 
(SBU) The March 2004 anti-TIP law modified the penal code by 
adding an additional chapter (Book II, Title VI, Chapter IV, 
Sections 231-231(I)) that created the specific crimes of 
sexual trafficking, sexual tourism, and pornography with 
minors.  The March 2004 anti-TIP law also toughened Penal 
Code provisions for corruption of minors, commercial sexual 
exploitation of adults and minors, and pimping (Book II, 
Title VI, V Chapter III, Sections 226-230). 
 
(SBU) Sections 310 and 310-A of the Penal Code Book II, Title 
IX, Chapter III also make it a punishable crime to be part of 
an international drug or people trafficking ring or to 
smuggle people with their consent in contravention of 
immigration laws.   Section 310 also provides for penalties 
for violations of human rights under international 
conventions signed by Panama, but the Supreme Court has 
declared this provision unconstitutional.  In practice, 
sections 310 and 310-A are applied in cases of international 
human smuggling.  Article 215D of the penal code penalizes 
the use or inducement of minors for pornography or immoral, 
prohibited, dangerous, or unhealthy work.  Penal Code Book 
II, Title II, Chapter III Sections 151 and 152 criminalizes 
depriving a person of liberty. 
 
(SBU) These laws cover the full range of TIP crimes but the 
GOP continues its efforts to improve the anti-trafficking 
laws.  During 2006, new provisions to the Panamanian 
Migratory Law will be proposed.  These proposals include: 
 
-     Sanctions for those persons who facilitate or promote 
the entrance into Panama of foreigners that work in 
commercial sexual activities. 
 
-     Prohibiting the entrance or transit through Panama of 
traffickers or persons who have trafficked persons, as well 
as persons who have been registered for committing crimes 
related to trafficking and sexual exploitation. 
 
-     The abolishment of the alternadora visa for sex 
workers. 
 
¶B.  (U) What are the penalties for traffickers of people for 
sexual exploitation?  For traffickers of people for labor 
exploitation? 
 
(SBU) Section 228 penalizes sexual exploitation with 4-6 
years of prison and 8-10 years of prison when the victim is a 
minor.  Section 231 penalizes sexual trafficking with 5-8 
years of prison and 8-10 years when the victim is a minor. 
Section 310 sets the penalty at 10-15 years of prison and 
Section 310-A sets it at 5-10 years.  Sections 151-152 
provide for 6 months to 6 years imprisonment.  Section 215D 
provides for 2-6 years imprisonment. 
 
¶C.  (U) What are the penalties for rape or forcible sexual 
assault?  How do they compare to the penalty for sex 
trafficking? 
 
(SBU) Under Penal Code Book II, Title VI, Chapter I Sections 
216-218, rape is punishable by 3 to 10 years in prison. 
Under section 219, statutory rape with a minor age 14-18 is 
punishable by 1-6 years in prison.  The penalties for rape in 
some cases are less than those for trafficking. 
 
¶D.  (U) Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced?  If prostitution is legal and 
regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? 
Note that in many countries with federalist systems, 
prostitution laws may be covered by state, local, and 
provincial authorities. 
 
(SBU) Prostitution is legalized and regulated.  The minimum 
age to work as a prostitute is 18. 
 
¶E.  (U) Has the Government prosecuted any cases against 
traffickers?  If so, provide numbers of investigations, 
prosecutions, convictions, and sentences, including details 
on plea bargains and fines, if relevant and available.  Are 
the traffickers serving the time sentenced:  If no, why not? 
Please indicate whether the government can provide this 
information, and if not, why not?  (Note:  complete answers 
to this section are essential. End Note) 
 
(SBU) In 2005, the GOP investigated seven cases of 
trafficking and made six arrests.  As of the date of this 
report, two of the cases remain under investigation, three 
are awaiting trial, and the charges were dropped in one of 
the cases.  An owner of a massage parlor will have his 
preliminary court hearing on trafficking charges in March 
¶2006. 
 
¶F.  (U) Is there any information or reports of who is behind 
the trafficking?  For example, are the traffickers freelance 
operators, small crime groups, and/or large international 
organized crime syndicates?  Are employment, travel, and 
tourism agencies or marriage brokers fronting for traffickers 
or crime groups to traffic individuals?   Are government 
officials involved?  Are there any reports of where profits 
from trafficking in persons are being channeled?  (e.g. armed 
groups, terrorist organizations, judges, banks, etc.) 
 
(SBU) Independent dance clubs, massage parlor owners, brothel 
owners, and persons with ties to the drug trade are behind 
Panama's internal trafficking problem.  Most profits appear 
to go directly to traffickers.  GOP investigators report that 
taxi drivers look for customers for child sexual exploitation 
in Panama City.  The Darien prosecutor suspects an indigenous 
leader may be involved in trafficking indigenous girls.  The 
Darien prosecutor also links commercial sexual exploitation 
to drug traffickers.  There are no indications that 
employment, travel, tourism, marriage brokers, or government 
officials are involved in trafficking. 
 
¶G.  (U) Does the government actively investigate cases of 
trafficking?  (Again, the focus should be on trafficking 
cases versus migrant smuggling cases.) Does the government 
use active investigative techniques in trafficking in persons 
investigations? To the extent possible under domestic law, 
are techniques such as electronic surveillance, undercover 
operations, and mitigated punishment or immunity for 
cooperating suspects used by the government?  Does the 
criminal procedure code or other laws prohibit the police 
from engaging in covert operations? 
 
(SBU) The government actively investigates cases of 
trafficking.  The anti-TIP law allows cases to be 
automatically investigated without a formal complaint.  The 
March 2004 anti-TIP law provides for use of wiretaps, 
monitoring of emails and internet use, and undercover 
operations in appropriate cases.  Lack of police resources 
limits the ability of the police to carry out undercover and 
wiretapping operations.  A Public Ministry official told of a 
prosecutor in a small town using his personal vehicle to try 
to investigate trafficking.  Many people in the town 
recognize the vehicle, making it impossible to do effective 
investigations.  The PTJ Sex Crimes Unit has 20 officers but 
only three are assigned to investigate TIP. 
 
¶H.  (U) Does the government provide any specialized training 
for government officials in how to recognize, investigate, 
and prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
(SBU) In 2005 the GOP conducted a series of training events 
for GOP Officials who deal with TIP: 
 
      In March, the United States Department of Justice 
provided anti-TIP training to a group of Panamanian 
attorneys, judges, and police.  An outcome of this conference 
was the publishing of the first anti-TIP manual for police, 
prosecutors, and judges. 
 
      In June, ILO/OIT sponsored a seminar &Commercial 
Sexual Exploitation against Minors: New Legislation, 
Advances, and Challenges.8 
 
      In July, the Ministry of Government and Justice (MOGJ) 
in conjunction with IOM held a seminar on TIP for members of 
the Public Ministry, the Attorney General, and TIP 
prosecutors. 
 
¶I.  (U) Does the government cooperate with other governments 
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases? 
If possible, can post provide the number of cooperative 
international investigations on trafficking? 
 
(SBU) Panama is part of several regional initiatives to 
develop cooperative anti-TIP measures.  A Regional Conference 
on Migration in Central America in October 2005 developed a 
common format for the exchange of information on TIP cases 
among the seven countries in the region.  This conference 
also agreed to a weekly exchange of information on the use of 
false passports to help identify new patterns in regional 
TIP.  Panama also plans to adopt a UNICEF protocol for the 
return of minor TIP victims to their country of origin. 
 
¶J.  (U) Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, can post provide 
the number of traffickers extradited?  Does the government 
extradite its own nationals charged with such offenses?   If 
not, is the government prohibited by law form extraditing its 
own nationals?  If so, what is the government doing to modify 
its laws to permit the extradition of its own nationals? 
 
(SBU) The March 2004 anti-TIP law provides for extradition in 
cases of sexual trafficking.  However, Panama,s constitution 
specifically prohibits the extradition of its own nationals. 
The GOP has no plans to amend its constitution. 
 
¶K.  (U) Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
If so, please explain in detail. 
 
(SBU) In March 2005, several members of the Panamanian 
National Police (PNP) in Darien Province were arrested on 
charges of sexual abuse of minors.  These cases still remain 
under investigation by the Public Ministry and PNP.  See 
reftel B C and 2005 HRR. 
 
¶L.  (U) If government officials are involved in trafficking, 
what steps has the government taken to end such 
participation?  Have any government officials been prosecuted 
for involvement in trafficking or trafficking- related 
corruption?  Have any been convicted?  What actual sentence 
was imposed?  Please provide specific numbers, if available. 
 
(SBU) The cases of PNP members arrested in Darien Province in 
March 2005 remains under investigation.  See reftels B C, 
2005 HRR. 
 
¶M.  (U) If the country has an identified child sex tourism 
problem (as source or destination), how many foreign 
pedophiles has the government prosecuted or 
deported/extradited to their country of origin?  Does the 
country's child sexual abuse laws have extraterritorial 
coverage (like the U.S. PROTECT Act)? 
 
(SBU) Panama does not have an identified child sex tourism 
problem.  The March 2004 anti-TIP law criminalizes child sex 
tourism. (Penal Code Book II, Title VI, Chapter IV, Section 
231-G).  In September 2005, the PTJ made an arrest for sexual 
tourism and the case remains under investigation.  Under 
Panama,s anti-TIP law, hotels are required to include a 
warning about TIP in their contracts. 
 
¶N.  (U) Has the government signed, ratified, and/or taken 
steps to implement the following international instruments? 
 
      --ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and 
immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of 
child labor. 
 
      --ILO Convention 29 and 105 on forced or compulsory 
labor. 
 
      --The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights 
of the Child (CRC) on the sale of children, child 
prostitution, and child pornography. 
 
      --The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, 
supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational 
Organized Crime. 
 
Please provide the date of signature/ratification if 
appropriate. 
 
(SBU) Yes, Panama has signed and ratified all pertinent 
international instruments: 
 
--ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and immediate 
action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor: 
 Ratified on June 15, 2000.  Deposited in Geneva on October 
31, 2000 
 
      --ILO Convention 29 and 105 on forced or compulsory 
labor:  Ratified in 1930 
 
      --The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights 
of the Child (CRC) on the sale of children, child 
prostitution, and child pornography:  Signed on October 31, 
2000 and ratified on February 9, 2001 
 
      --The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish 
Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, 
supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational 
Organized Crime:  Signed on December 13, 2000 and ratified 
July 7, 2004 
 
¶10.  (U) PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS: 
 
¶A.  (U) Does the government assist victims, for example, by 
providing temporary to permanent residency status, relief 
from deportation, shelter and access to legal, medical and 
psychological services?  If so, please explain.  Does the 
country have victim care and victim health care facilities? 
If so, can post provide the number of victims placed in these 
care facilities? 
 
(SBU) The GOP provides legal, medical, and psychological 
services for TIP victims.  Funding for these programs remains 
limited.  Panama,s anti-TIP law allows CONAPREDES to collect 
a special tax on the sale and rental of adult videos to pay 
for assistance to TIP victims.  The GOP however has not 
decided on how to collect the tax.  MIDES has a shelter and 
NGO Casa Malambo provides additional shelter space and 
services.  MIDES recently received a $126,000 ESF grant to 
refurbish an existing MIDES shelter and build a new shelter 
at Casa Malambo to assist TIP victims.  MIDES also places TIP 
victims with foster families.  The Technical Judicial Police 
(PTJ) is responsible for providing protection and necessary 
attention to trafficking victims.  PTJ operates a Victim,s 
Attention Center that has an inte