Panama’a Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (Cciap)  has described the seizure  of $1.3 million of assets of Corporación La Prensa by former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares as a "violation of freedom of expression" reports TVN.

The decision comes after a legal process in which theex-president filed a civil lawsuit for damages against the media.

"We understand the power given by the law to the plaintiff to defend his honor, however, an action of this type in the times we live in is not only a hard blow to the right to information of citizens, but also puts the livelihood of Corprensa's more than 240 collaborators is at risk, "said JeanPierre Leignadier, president of CCIAP

The Chamber  warns that this is a wake-up call to the justice administration system that took 8 years to resolve a civil case, which they indicate confirms the need for deep reform