The Panama Maritime Authority issued Merchant Marine Notice 07/2021, providing a standard guide of facts in cases of theft and sexual assault onboard Panama-flagged ships.
- STEP 1. The victim of robbery and/or sexual assault onboard a Panama flagship must report the incident to the ship’s crew, preferably to the Ship’s Security Officer, in order to initiate the corresponding investigation.
- STEP 2. The Ship Security Officer will report the incident and send all the documentation through the ship’s company format, to the email [email protected], corresponding to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority.
- STEP 3. Once the ship arrives at the Port of Call, the victim must file a THEFT or SEXUAL ASSAULT complaint, before the competent authorities of the country of destination.
- STEP 4. The victim of the crime must immediately inform the General Consulate of the Republic of Panama, in the country of destination, attaching copies of the Ship Security Officer´s report and the competent authorities of the country of arrival.
- STEP 5. In a case if the Republic of Panama does not have a General Consulate in the country of destination, the victim must file a complaint of THEFT or SEXUAL ASSAULT in a Consulate of a friendly nation.
- STEP 6. The General Consulate of the Republic of Panama in the country of destination will coordinate with the local authorities of such nation, the request and due collaboration while the investigation is in process.
- STEP 7. The General Consulate of Panama in the country of destination will send all the documentation via email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama and to the email [email protected], corresponding to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority.
- STEP 8. The Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine, will verify and examine all the documentation sent by the General Consulate of Panama in the country of destination and if it is satisfied, it will forward it to the Resolutions and Inquiries Department through a detailed report.
- STEP 9. The Resolutions and Inquiries Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine will examine the documentation received by the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department and if it is satisfactory, it will forward it to the Legal Advice Office of the Panama Maritime Authority, in order to put at knowledge of the punitive act, to the Superior Prosecutor Office for International Affairs of the Public Ministry.
- STEP 10. The Superior Prosecutor Office for International Affairs of the Public Ministry, through its investigation, if it has sufficient probable evidence to initiate a Criminal Process against the alleged perpetrator, it will contact the local authorities of the country of destination, in order to coordinate the status of the alleged perpetrator.
- STEP 11. If the Superior Prosecutor Office for International Affairs of the Public Ministry were to have sufficient probable evidence against the alleged perpetrator, it will then request the extradition from an order of a Judge of Guarantee of the Accusatory Penal System to the Republic of Panama to appear in Criminal Proceedings against the alleged perpetrator.
- STEP 12. The Superior Prosecutor Office for International Affairs of the Public Ministry will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama, in order to notify the alleged perpetrator through the Embassy of his/her nationality, about the Criminal Proceedings that are taken against, in order to exercise his/her rights.
- STEP 13. Once the Superior Prosecutor Office for International Affairs of the Public Ministry is aware of the punitive act and initiates the corresponding investigations, the alleged victim can follow up on the case, through email [email protected].
