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Legislator To Face Sexual
Harassment Charges
Legislative Deputy, Federico
Tinoco, is once again in the
news, as the legislative worker
has finally presented formal
charges against the legislator
for sexual harassment. The
charges were presented to the
Tribunales de Justicia on
Wednesday, announced the
victim's lawyer, Pablo Zúñiga.
The sex scandal made the
headlines last August, when an
employee of the Legislative
Assembly made public the sexual
harassment by her boss. The
legislature, following the
charge, created a legislative
commission to investigate the
allegations.
The case also generated
controversy over the fact that
the "Ley Contra el Hostigamiento
Sexual" (law against sexual
harassment) did not apply to
deputies and other elected
officials.
Tinoco, who is member of the
ruling party, Partido Liberación
Nacional (PLN), will have to
face the charges,
notwithstanding his immunity.
Zúñiga says he bases his claim
on the conviction that Tinoco's
immunity is only to protect his
from duties as a legislator and
does carry over to acts the
legislator commits outside of
his legislative duties.
"It would be immoral that Mr.
Tinoco hides behind the
parliamentary immunity to avoid
facing justice", said Zúñiga.
Zúñiga argues that Tinoco, in
his function as legislator,
notwithstanding a pronunciation
by the Procuraduría General de
la República, did have a labour
relationship with the employee,
an element that will be
considered by a judge in dealing
with the case, that will also
serve for future cases.
Last August 31, the employee who
has remained nameless to shield
her from retributions, made a
claim before the Directorio
(Legislative Assembly Directory)
that she has been sexually
harassed by the legislator prior
to and during an official tour
of the province of Limón.
The Directorio created a
commission and in November
determined that there wasn't
sufficient proof against the
legislator. However, the three
member commission recommended
that the victim present the case
before a juidicial court and
that Tinoco renounce his
immunity and face any possible
charges.
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