On 16 July 2026, around 15 Panamanian civil society organisations and activists met to (i) formally reactivate the Panamanian Human Rights Network, (ii) merge with the Citizens’ Alliance for Justice, and (iii) elect a new Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.The main objective is to resume a unified agenda for the defence of human rights defenders—covering civil and political rights as well as social, cultural and environmental rights – and the protection of civic space, moving away from ad hoc responses towards permanent coordination. It was agreed to implement an early warning system and a national register of cases of harassment or criminalisation of human rights defenders. This alliance aims to ensure that harassment directed at specific sectors – such as indigenous communities, trade unions or environmentalists – is recognised as a collective threat to civil society as a whole.
El 16 de julio de 2026, aproximadamente 15 organizaciones de la sociedad civil panameña y activistas se reunieron para: (i) reactivar formalmente la Red de Derechos Humanos de Panamá, (ii) fusionarse con la Alianza Ciudadana Pro Justicia y (iii) elegir una nueva Junta Directiva para el periodo 2026-2028.
El objetivo central es retomar una agenda unificada para la defensa de los defensores de derechos humanos, tanto civiles y políticos como sociales, culturales y al medio ambiente, y la protección del espacio cívico, pasando de reacciones coyunturales a una coordinación permanente. Se acordó implementar un sistema de alertas tempranas, un inventario nacional de acoso o criminalización de defensores de derechos humanos. Esta unión busca que el acoso contra sectores específicos, indígenas, sindicatos o ambientalistas, sean asumidas como una afectación colectiva a toda la sociedad civil.