The Olympia Law was approved unanimously in Panamabeing the third country in Latin America in approving the punishment against the digital sexual violencea fact that the activist who created it celebrated, Olimpia Coral Melo.
The Olimpia Law was created in Mexicofollowing an intimate video of Olimpia Coral Melowhich was shared without the activist’s consent, which is why this initiative was promoted to criminalize digital sexual violence.
What the Olympia Law is to punish damage to image and privacymainly women, who suffer the most from digital sexual violence, aggression whose criminal punishment is up to 8 years in prison.
Olimpia Law is approved in Panama: It becomes the third country to punish digital sexual violence
As shared by activist Olimpia Coral Melothe General Assembly of Panama approved with 47 votes and zero against in favor of the Olympia Law, which recognizes and classifies digital sexual violence in the country.
In accordance with what was approved by the legislators of Panamathey modify the article 166a of Law 61 of the Penal Codea reform that was achieved almost a year after being presented, in addition to requiring a total of 3 debates.
The Olimpia Law was promoted by deputy Yarelis Rodríguezafter being presented by the organization International IDEA Panamaas well as the Electoral Court of said country, which established several spaces for discussion.
The approval of the Olympia Law in Panama turns him into third country in Latin America to criminalize digital sexual violencewith Mexico being the first in 2020 and Argentina the second in 2023.
However, in Argentina the Olympia Law modifies law 24,485 and was named Belén Law in memory of Belén San Romána 26-year-old policewoman who committed suicide after the spread of videos and photos.
Colombia is also in the process of approve the Olimpia Law and criminalize digital sexual violencewith the modification of Law 1257 and the Penal Code.
Olimpia Panama Law: Activist Olimpia Coral Melo celebrates approval in the country
“We have to have legislation that recognizes the digital violence”: in addition to her publications on social networks, the activist Olimpia Coral Melo celebrated that Panama has approved the Olympia Law in interview with Pamela Cerdeira.
He also pointed out that the presentation took a year, since Olimpia Coral Melo At that time he traveled to said country where he placed, together with IDEA International Panamathe idea of a legislation against digital sexual violence.
He also highlighted that the Olimpia Law is a model in matters of digital violence of a sexual nature in Latin America, as was observed with its approval in Panama and Argentina.
The progress, as narrated Olimpia Coral Meloin addition to recognizing the digital violence that damages women’s privacy (victims of 89.9%), it was now classified as a crime against all people.