Panama rejects Interpol request by judicial branch for former president Martinelli

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) -Panama's police said on Sunday they had rejected a request by the judiciary branch to seek a red notice by Interpol for former President Ricardo Martinelli, on the grounds that this is prohibited for refugees or political asylum seekers.

Martinelli, who was president of the Central American nation from 2009 to 2014, has been living inside Nicaragua's embassy in Panama City since the country's government moved to arrest him after a court found him guilty of money laundering.

On Thursday, a top Panamanian official said the government had approved safe passage for Martinelli to travel to Nicaragua, where he has received asylum.

"After the legal review of the request from the judicial branch to include former President Martinelli in the Interpol database, we confirm that we have rejected the processing of said notification," a statement said.

"It does not comply with the parameters established by Interpol since 2014, and we reaffirmed in 2017, which prohibit the issuance of red alerts on citizens who are refugees or political asylum seekers, as is the case of Mr. Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal."

Neither Interpol nor a lawyer for Martinelli could immediately be reached for further comment on a Sunday night. A spokesman for Martinelli confirmed on social media that the request for a red alert was rejected.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno;Writing by Stefanie Eschenbacher; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Kim Coghill)