Panama press laws go

Panama's legislature has voted unanimously to repeal restrictive press laws that were imposed under earlier military governments.

President Martin Torrijos, who proposed the repeal measure, is expected to sign it into law soon.

Torrijos' father, General Omar Torrijos, had led enactment of the laws while he was Panama's military strongman from 1968 until his death in a plane crash in 1981.

The laws regulated the practice of journalism, permitted official censorship and allowed courts to send journalists to prison for criticising the government.