texas-moody

Judicial Harassment

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Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora has been imprisoned for a year, victim of a 'flawed' trial

"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 […]

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For the first time, IACHR hears from civil society on 'judicial harassment' against journalists in Latin America

"Journalistic organizations in Latin America denounced this week before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) the advance of 'judicial harassment' (SLAPPS) against journalists as a new form of censorship and the creation of fear in the press. In an unprecedented session chaired by Commissioner Esmeralda Arosemana de Troitiño, the entities presented concrete cases of […]

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Nicaragua: Journalist Victor Ticay found guilty of 'undermining national integrity' for covering religious event

"Courts in the service of the Ortega-Murillo regime have declared journalist Victor Ticay guilty of the bogus crimes of 'spreading fake news' and 'undermining the national integrity,' attorney Braulio Abarca, with the Nicaragua Nunca + [Never Again Nicaragua] Human Rights Collective informed. The journalist was taken to the Managua court complex in the early hours […]

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Guatemalan Prosecutor's Office requests 40 years in prison for José Rubén Zamora, founder of elPeriódico

"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 […]

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Brazil: Journalist Juliana Dal Piva wins appeal and is acquitted for disclosing threats by Bolsonaro's lawyer

"UOL network journalist Juliana Dal Piva was acquitted of the decision that convicted her for making public the content of messages sent to her by Frederick Wassef, a lawyer of the Bolsonaro family. The messages included discrediting statements and threats by the lawyer against the journalist. On Thursday (April 20), the Court of Justice of […]

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Journalist Yoel Acosta denounces threats to force him to leave Cuba

"Journalist and Diario de Cuba media outlet contributor Yoel Acosta Gámez denounced the harassment and threats to which he is being victim by the State Security in Baracoa, Guantánamo, to force him to leave the country. ‘Earlier this month I was summoned by State Security. In that interrogation, agents questioned a Facebook publication I had […]

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Journalist is sued after exposing sex abuse by former president of Haiti's soccer federation

"A French investigative journalist who exposed sexual abuse accusations against Yves Jean-Bart, the former Haiti football federation president, is facing a defamation lawsuit by Jean-Bart, Human Rights Watch said today [March 21, 2023]. The journalist, Romain Molina, documented abuses against underage players in the Haiti Football Federation under Jean-Bart’s leadership and supported survivors in Haiti […]

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‘We will not be silenced,’ Guatemalan journalists said during a protest against the judicial persecution of elPeriódico colleagues

"Nearly a hundred journalists from various media outlets in Guatemala staged a demonstration on Saturday [March 4] in front of the country's Supreme Court in protest for a judge's decision to investigate nine journalists due to their publications on different allegations. The demonstration was also to protest against the case of another journalist critical of […]

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Costa Rica: Journalist Marlon Mora is convicted of defamation in a lawsuit filed by former presidential candidate

"On Monday morning [March 6], the Criminal Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José convicted journalist Marlon Mora Jiménez of two counts of defamation against former presidential candidate and criminal lawyer Juan Diego Castro Fernández. According to the [radio] news show 'Interferencia,' the ruling imposed a fine of CRC 600,000 [about US $1,000] […]

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Guatemala: Attorney of elPeriódico's president, José Rubén Zamora, is convicted of obstruction of justice in journalist's case

"The Tenth Court of First Criminal Instance [of Guatemala] convicted this Tuesday, Feb. 21, attorney Mario Castañeda, who defended the president of the newspaper elPeriódico, José Rubén Zamora. [...] Judge Jimmi Bremmer issued a three-year commuted prison sentence against the lawyer for the crime of conspiracy to obstruct justice. [...] The head of the Special […]

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IAPA denounces abuse of lawsuits against media and journalists in Panama

"The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) denounced the continued abuse of defamation lawsuits against Panamanian media and journalists and the preventive seizure of their assets as mechanisms of intimidation and gagging to curb critical journalism. The IAPA endorsed the recent expressions of its regional vice-presidency in Panama, the National Council of Journalists (CNP, by its […]

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Chile: Journalist Felipe Soto Cortés is convicted of criminal defamation

"Chilean authorities should not contest journalist Felipe Soto Cortés’ appeal of a recent criminal defamation conviction and should stop using criminal defamation laws against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday [Jan. 27]. On Jan. 11, a criminal court judge in the southern city of Concepción convicted Soto, editor of the […]