Event Summary
On 11 March 2026, the National Assembly’s Committee on Government, Justice and Constitutional Affairs unanimously approved, at first reading, an amendment to Law 22 of 29 June 2005, which regulates the right of reply in the media. The bill, approved at first reading, sets out criteria regarding the visibility of the reply, stipulating that it must be given the same prominence as the original news item. Among other aspects, the media would be required to maintain permanent spaces or sections for the publication of replies.
In Panama, the right of reply is already regulated by the law of 22 June 2005, which was approved with the participation of the media and in a democratic environment, seeking to bring Panamanian legislation into line with inter-American standards.
The main trade unions representing journalists and the media have spoken out, pointing out that the initiative upsets the balance between editorial freedom and journalistic responsibility, turning a principle of ethical self-regulation into a “coercive mechanism subject to judicial sanctions”.
Although the law has not yet been passed by the Assembly, what happened on March 11 is worrying because it was done with the unanimous support of the Committee members, who belong to various political groups.
Another questionable aspect is that it was done without having heard the views of journalist and media unions.