Son of José Rubén Zamora denounces attack on freedom 1:47
(CNN Spanish) --
For this Monday, the Criminal Court of First Instance was scheduled to hold the hearing of the first statement for the president of the Guatemalan newspaper
El Periódico
, José Rubén Zamora, and for the assistant prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor's Office against Impunity, San Martín Gómez, who were arrested last Friday on charges specifically against Zamora, on charges of blackmail, influence peddling, money laundering and money laundering conspiracy.
And in the case of Gómez, for the crime of disclosing confidential or reserved information.
However, the hearing had to be suspended, since taking into account that the court that originally issued the arrest warrants is the 7th Multi-person Criminal Court of First Instance in charge of Judge Fredy Orellana, since he requested that the file be transferred to his judiciary to continue with the legal process in this instance.
Is the arrest of journalist José Rubén Zamora an attack on freedoms in Guatemala?
In such a way that the 7th Court scheduled the first statement hearing for next Wednesday, August 3 at 2:00 p.m., local time in Guatemala, so that both Zamora and Gómez appear to solve their legal situation.
The Public Ministry is expected to present its indications, as well as the defense of both present the respective arguments.
According to Guatemalan regulations, since there is a person accused of the crime of money laundering, these cases must remain reserved as established in article ten of the Law against Money Laundering, and must remain under this judicial situation until it is determined whether or not he should face a process of oral and public debate or a trial before the corresponding court.
At the moment, Zamora is being provisionally imprisoned in the prison of the Mariscal Zavala military base, waiting for the first statement hearing to arrive.
HRW calls for the release of journalist José Rubén Zamora 0:55
This is what we know about the case of José Rubén Zamora
Award-winning journalist José Rubén Zamora inside a cell after a court hearing in Guatemala City on Saturday, July 30, 2022.
Who is Jose Ruben Zamora?
José Rubén Zamora is a renowned Guatemalan journalist known for being the director of the newspaper
El Periódico
de Guatemala.
He founded the medium in 1996.
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Zamora, 65, is a journalist critical of the country's current government.
For years, Human Rights Watch has denounced threats, attacks, and intimidation of several Guatemalan journalists, including Zamora.
Zamora has received several awards during his career, such as the recognition of Hero of Freedom of the Press that the International Institute of the Press gave him in 2000.
The arrest
Guatemala City police arrested prominent journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín on Friday, drawing criticism from human rights and press freedom groups.
Zamora's arrest "is not related to his journalistic activity," special prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche told the radio station Emisoras Unidas.
However, Zamora's son told CNN that this is an act of retaliation and an attempt at censorship due to the denunciations that the newspaper presented against the Guatemalan government.
Authorities raided the newspaper's offices and Zamora's home before arresting him, Curruchiche also said.
CNN has asked prosecutors for more information, but has not yet received a response.
CNN has also contacted Zamora's legal representation, but has not yet received a response.
The charges
Authorities say Zamora is suspected of being involved in a money laundering case.
Zamora "is one of the main critics of the government of Alejandro Giammattei, and his arrest occurred five days after strong complaints against several officials and former officials for corruption in a Sunday morning section," El Periódico said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Why was the journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín arrested?
6:43
The reactions
"Guatemalan authorities must immediately release and drop any criminal charges against journalist José Rubén Zamora, president of elPeriódico," said Gypsy Guillén Kaiser, director of advocacy for the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The Undersecretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the US Department of State, Brian Nichols, also spoke out on Twitter against Zamora's arrest and urged Guatemala to "fully respect due process."
The US embassy in Guatemala tweeted about the case calling for "full respect for due process under the law"
.@WHAAsstSecty: Safeguarding #PressFreedom is essential to #Democracy.
#USA urges full respect for due process under the #GUA law and the protection of the personal security of @el_periodico @ChepeZamora and the FECI prosecutor, Samari Gómez.
https://t.co/lQXehV8b9v
– US Embassy Guatemala (@usembassyguate) July 31, 2022
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) joined the voices asking for guarantees of Zamora's freedom.
"This is not the first time that we must defend José Rubén and his journalistic work, since he suffered similar consequences for having denounced acts of corruption during past governments," said IAPA President Jorge Canahuati in a statement released by the organization. .