Ombudsman Warns Coiba Prison Transfer Threatens World Heritage Status

Panama's Ombudsman has raised serious concerns over the recent transfer of 29 high-risk inmates to a penal facility on Coiba Island, warning that the move could endanger the site's status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Ministry of Security announced the transfer on June 13.

Coiba National Park, where the prison is located, has been recognized by UNESCO for its global significance since 2005. The Ombudsman's office is closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing that the decision to house inmates in a protected area has drawn criticism from various social and political groups. Environmental authorities had previously stated that a permanent penal center on the island was not viable.

According to the Ombudsman, Law 44 of 2004, which established Coiba National Park, stipulated that upon the closure of the penal colony, the area and its buildings were to be managed by the Ministry of Environment. The law also mandated the transfer of all prisoners by July 29, 2005. Furthermore, Article 5 of the law strictly prohibits the construction of any infrastructure not essential for sustainable ecotourism or scientific activities approved by the park's management plan.

The human rights institution stressed that reopening the prison facility risks compromising the protected area's World Heritage status. "The National Directorate of Environment of this National Institute of Human Rights understands the security efforts undertaken by the competent authorities; however, we consider that the closure of the Coiba Penitentiary was a symbolic international commitment of the Panamanian State and that its reopening could compromise its World Heritage status before UNESCO," the institution warned. While acknowledging the need for security measures, the Ombudsman also highlighted the importance of ensuring the rights of incarcerated individuals in accordance with Panamanian law and the UN's Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

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The National Directorate of Environment of this National Institute of Human Rights understands the security efforts undertaken by the competent authorities; however, we consider that the closure of the Coiba Penitentiary was a symbolic international commitment of the Panamanian State and that its reopening could compromise its World Heritage status before UNESCO.