Reporters Without Borders is calling on authorities to investigate the killing of a radio owner and program director in Panama. Darío Fernández Jaén was killed Nov. 6 in the city of Penonomé, a few minutes from the Panamanian capital.
Fernández Jaén was a member of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) and three times served as governor of the province of Coclé, in central Panama, during the years 1985, 1996 and 2004. At he time of his killing, he was owner of the radio station Mi Favorita, where he hosted a political commentary program, according to the newspaper La Estrella de Panamá.
Authorities are looking into whether his killing is related to his recent Target=blank>criticisms of the allegedly irregular land titling processes in Coclé del Norte, according to Article 19.
One of the individuals identified as a suspect in the journalist's killing has been arrested and confessed to being paid to commit the crime, reported Info Lliteras.
The killing came as Panama celebrated Journalists Day on Nov. 13, and a group of journalists launched a campaign to stop violence against journalists and to demand respect for freedom of expression.
