Citizen Liberty Foundation challenges Panama maritime authority over restricted information

Panama’s Citizen Liberty Foundation has accused the Panama Maritime Authority of using the country’s transparency law to justify restrictions that the law does not allow.

The organization, the Panamanian chapter of Transparency International, challenged Resolution 12-2026, saying it limits public access to records involving concessions, licenses and administrative investigations. It also highlighted President José Raúl Mulino’s rejection of the authority’s decision and his request that it reconsider the measure.

The foundation said Law 6 of 2002 identifies which subjects may be treated as confidential. In its view, administrative files handled by the maritime authority do not fall within those categories. It also disputed the authority’s interpretation of Article 1, which the resolution cites to support restricting access to certain information.

According to the organization, Article 1 provides definitions that must be read alongside the restricted matters listed in Chapter IV of the law. It does not give public institutions a general power to classify any information they hold as restricted. The foundation said Article 16 requires agencies to justify a classification only when the information belongs to a category expressly covered by the law.

The group called the resolution an abuse of power and a setback for Panama’s progress on access to public information. It said defending the transparency law also protects democratic institutions and citizens’ ability to monitor government management.