Panama: The Government Commission of the National Assembly approved this Tuesday, October 28, the draft bill proposing life imprisonment in Panama for cases of atrocious homicides, presented by Panamanian representative Ariana Coba. The congresswoman noted that many victims’ families “are left with a bitter taste in their mouths” after atrocious crimes that take a loved one from them. “I have the ability, and my values allow me to put myself in the shoes of those who have had to endure great pain and suffering,” said Coba, who made it clear that she has not experienced events like this. During the presentation, Coba warned that cases of atrocious crimes in the country have been on the rise, recalling the most recent, that of the young woman stabbed in a public park in Pocrí, Aguadulce.
The draft bill was unanimously supported by the Government Commission , and Representative Luis Duke expressed his support, although he raised the need to review prison overcrowding and specify what types of collective crimes could receive life sentences. Among the proposed amendments is Article 52 of the Penal Code, which addresses prison sentences. It adds that “the prison sentence imposed for a single act or in the case of a combination of crimes may last between six months and life imprisonment.” The draft also adds Article 132-C, which defines the cases that merit life imprisonment.
“Anyone who causes the death of another person through atrocious execution, use of fire, removal of a vital organ, drowning, or asphyxiation; who, within the framework of the same act, event, or circumstance, commits homicide against two or more persons, simultaneously or successively, provided there is a direct connection between the acts; who is a serial killer; or who commits homicide in the context of crimes against collective security that generate a common danger to society, shall be punished with life imprisonment.” President José Raúl Mulino expressed his support for the project. “My feeling is that these kinds of people don’t even have the right to live. Someone who is cruel to a person, a child, or a girl; who rapes or destroys them—that person is not a human being.
My sympathy is with the project,” he expressed during one of his weekly press conferences. The president added that, although an increase to 50 years may be considered harsh, this measure would only make sense if it doesn’t include sentence reductions or other remedies that could benefit the attacker. “A 50-year sentence can partially compensate the pain of the victim’s family, but it must be served in full,” Mulino said. He assured that he will monitor the progress of the bill in the National Assembly and that he will carefully evaluate the initiative when it reaches the Executive Branch before making a final decision. “I will wait and monitor the progress of this bill in the Assembly, and when I reach the Presidency, I will evaluate it very carefully,” he stated.
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