"Guatemala's National Civil Police (PNC, by its acronym in Spanish) has reported that two journalists were killed on Friday night [Aug. 11] in the department of Retalhuleu [Guatemala] after being attacked with firearms, according to the Guatemalan newspaper La Hora. A preliminary police report revealed that the two journalists were on their way home, located […]
"Independent journalists, judges, and human rights defenders in Guatemala are under assault by government and pro-government actors, amid one of the worst democratic backslides in the region. [...] To support the independent media covering this political crisis, while holding government officials accountable, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), in partnership with the recently created Central […]
"Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín completed one year in prison this Saturday [July 29] since his arrest on July 29, 2022, only five days after voicing strong criticism of corruption allegations against the government of president Alejandro Giammattei. 'It has been an extremely difficult and complicated year, but we know that my father is […]
"Fewer journalists were killed in the first six months of this year, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) said on Thursday [July 6, 2023]. Since January, 27 journalists have paid for their profession with their lives in 17 countries. This is the lowest figure recorded in more than 15 years. […] From January up to June […]
"Last June, due to the serious situation of freedom of expression in Guatemala, Red Rompe el Miedo Guatemala [Break the fear network Guatemala or RRMG by its Spanish acronym] carried out an electoral monitoring of the aggressions against journalists and communicators during the first round of the elections. (...) On June 24, 25 and 26, […]
The organizations Article 19 Office for Mexico and Central America, Freedom House, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Protection International Mesoamérica, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Fundamedios and the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP, by its Spanish acronym), in alliance with the regional networks IFEX-ALC and Voces del Sur carried out a mission […]
"A Guatemalan court ruled this Monday [June 19] that government-critical journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín must not pay the fine the State had requested, after being convicted in an alleged money laundering case. Judge Oly González ruled that 'it's not legitimate' for Zamora Marroquín to pay a fine as a dignified reparation to the State […]
"A Guatemalan court sentenced journalist José Rubén Zamora to six years in prison on Wednesday [June 14] for the crime of money laundering, which the editor of the newspaper elPeriódico has denied throughout his year-long trial. The court decided to acquit Zamora of the other two charges against him, which were blackmail and influence peddling, […]
"Nine years have passed since journalist Norma Sancir was arrested by the National Civil Police (PNC, by its Spanish acronym) and jailed for five days while covering a community protest in Camotán, Chiquimula [Guatemala]. Three agents and a commissioner are now being prosecuted for abuse of authority. The defense has maintained a strategy of delaying […]
"On Tuesday [May 30], the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity (FECI, by its acronym in Spanish) of Guatemala's Public Prosecutor's Office asked for 40 years in prison for journalist José Rubén Zamora, founder of Guatemalan newspaper elPeriódico, for alleged crimes of money laundering, influence peddling and blackmail. The prosecution's request is for 20 years in […]
"A Guatemalan court suspended this Wednesday [May 17] the start of deliberations against four agents of the National Civil Police (PNC, by its Spanish acronym), accused of the illegal arrest of community journalist Norma Sancir in 2014, due to the fact that one of the accused did not show up. Police agent Marcelina López was […]
On May 2, José Rubén Zamora, president of the Guatemalan newspaper elPeriódico, begins his trial on charges of money laundering, blackmail and influence peddling. The journalist was arrested on July 29, 2022 following the complaint of a witness and after the Guatemalan Public Prosecutor's Office gathered, in just 72 hours, the evidence used to justify […]