Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora faces 40 years in prison
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- 12 Jun 2023
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Guatemalan prosecutors have requested a 40-year prison term for the founder of a newspaper that has been critical of the government. This money laundering case has been widely criticized as a staged trial intended to suppress freedom of speech.
Jose Ruben Zamora, a 66-year-old journalist, has already spent 10 months in custody awaiting trial. Media organizations view this case as an assault on freedom of expression in a country that is cracking down on government critics in various areas.
Zamora was arrested in July of last year and charged with money laundering, blackmail, and influence peddling. He vehemently denies these allegations.
The prosecution alleges that Zamora extorted money from business leaders, promising not to publish damaging information about them in return.
Zamora, however, claims that the funds mentioned in the charges came from the sale of an artwork, which he used to financially support his newspaper, El Periodico, which faced financial difficulties following his arrest.
Zamora, recognized internationally for his newspaper's investigative journalism, accuses President Alejandro Giammattei and Attorney General Consuelo Porras of attempting to silence him for exposing government corruption.
Established in 1996, El Periodico ceased operations earlier this month, citing "persecution and economic pressure." The publication's journalists and columnists are also under investigation.
The media is not the only target in Guatemala.
The country has detained several former anti-corruption prosecutors and members of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), a UN-supported organization that uncovered numerous corruption scandals. The government closed the CICIG in 2019.
Many former prosecutors now live in exile, claiming to be victims of persecution and retaliation for their work.
In January, the United Nations expressed "deep concern" about the threats, harassment, and reprisals faced by justice officials and human rights defenders in Guatemala.
The United States has included Consuelo Porras on a list of "corrupt actors" for obstructing and subsequently firing an anti-mafia prosecutor.
Last week, Guatemala's Constitutional Court rejected a prominent opposition politician's request to participate in the upcoming presidential election next month.
