Zamora, known for exposing corruption, had been behind bars for more than two years in a detention observers say was mired in irregularities. “I have the spirit, courage and faith” to keep fighting, he says.
Lawmakers from the left and the right are drafting ‘foreign agent’ laws they claim protect their national sovereignty. They also threaten independent news outlets that rely on international funding.
Despite threats, violence and criminalization against the journalistic profession in Guatemala, news agency Prensa Comunitaria has been changing the way women, youth and Indigenous peoples are covered in the media for 12 years.
Community broadcasters in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras face repression, economic hardship, and lack access to radio frequencies. They’re seeking help from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
ElPeriódico, the media outlet founded by Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora in 1996, was also targeted when the judicial harassment against Zamora began, according to people close to him. With two years since its founder was imprisoned and almost one year since the newspaper ceased publication, journalists in Guatemala are filling the void with more journalism.
The phenomenon of exiled journalists is not new, according to the UN Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan. However, the increase in recent years has caused concern and hence the need for both States and civil society to come together to offer help. Organizations from Latin America join that call.
Despite being granted house arrest in May, José Rubén Zamora has now suffered another legal setback in courts. An appeals court has revoked the measure. His son, José Zamora, says the decision is a continuation of harassment against his father.
On May 15, the Ninth Court of Criminal Sentencing in Guatemala granted a substitute measure of house arrest, without surveillance, to journalist Jose Rubén Zamora, as reported by Guatemalan media. However, the founder of elPeriódico remains in prison due to another case against him. "They offered for me to leave the country and I never […]
Directors of El Faro (El Salvador) and Confidencial (Nicaragua) pointed to risk assessment, complete trust between editors and reporters, legal defense and psychological support as fundamental elements to preserve the well-being and safety of their teams in the face of harassment, threats and criminalization.
The Governing Council of the Gabo Foundation recognized Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora with its 2024 Recognition of Journalistic Excellence for his more than three decades work revealing corruption and abuses of power in his country. Zamora has been in prison for more than 650 days in connection with multiple controversial judicial proceedings.
Attacks on the press are undoubtedly one of the main challenges for media and journalists in Latin America. Talking about the state of digital journalism in the region also implies knowing the obstacles to press freedom. Journalists from Guatemala, Peru and Venezuela spoke about these challenges during the 17th Ibero-American Colloquium on Digital Journalism.
As part of closing remarks at the 25th International Symposium on Online Journalism, Romina Mella and José Zamora shed light on legal cases and jail time facing their colleague in Peru and father in Guatemala, respectively. ISOJ participants were called on to support these two renowned journalists.