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Panama arrests former president Martinelli: media

Xinhua, December 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Panamanian authorities have arrested former president Ricardo Martinelli after the Supreme Court ordered his provisional detention, media reported on Tuesday.

Martinelli is being held "in connection with an investigation into illegal surveillance allegedly carried out during his administration (2009-2014)," the daily La Prensa said.

The judges deliberated for four hours before making the decision to arrest Martinelli, who failed to appear at the Dec. 11 hearing into the allegations, the daily added.

Martinelli, who claimed he's the target of political persecution, complained via Twitter that he "was not duly notified."

Other members in his administration have been investigated in connection with the crime and "are expected to be tried in March," according to the daily, including former National Security Council directors Alejandro Garuz and Gustavo Perez, whose testimony was used to build the case against Martinelli. Endi