"Guatemalan judge Freddy Orellana issued an indictment and remanded journalist José Rubén Zamora in custody on charges of money laundering, racketeering and influence peddling.
(...)
As requested by the Prosecutor's Office, the judge ordered that Zamora, 65, remain in jail, where he has been since his arrest on July 29, considering that there is a risk of 'hindering truth-seeking' in the investigation, since workers of the news outlet he directs have testified in the case.
The Prosecutor's Office requested three months, which is the maximum period, to carry out its investigation, and the next hearing will be on Nov. 8. All this time Zamora must remain in prison and the legal process could even be extended because the defense of the other defendant in the case, assistant prosecutor Samari Gómez, requested the recusal of Orellana for conflict of interest.
After learning of the judge's decision, Zamora denounced in court that he has seen irregular movements in his cell in the Mariscal Zavala prison, so that he fears for his safety. He said that, if anything happens to him, he holds President Alejandro Giammattei and the State of Guatemala responsible."
