After nearly three years in prison, Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora was granted house arrest on Thursday.
Zamora, 69, was transferred from prison to house arrest as a substitute measure while he awaits retrial on money laundering charges. International observers and press freedom organizations have widely condemned the case as politically motivated retaliation for his investigative reporting on government corruption.
“I was a living dead man, but it was worth it. My arbitrary detention exposed corruption and the use of the justice system to silence critical voices more than my thirty years at elPeriódico. Today, the world’s eyes are on Guatemala,” Zamora told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) following news of his release.
Zamora was initially sentenced in June 2023 to six years in prison on money laundering charges by a criminal court in Guatemala City. However, an appeals court later overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial. Despite that decision, repeated procedural delays have prolonged the case, keeping him in detention since his arrest in July 2022.
While his transfer to house arrest marks a significant development, Zamora continues to face legal uncertainty as proceedings move forward.
At Free Press Alliance, we welcome José Rubén Zamora’s release to house arrest as an important step, but stress that justice will only be served when all politically motivated charges against him are dropped. The prolonged prosecution of independent journalists undermines democratic institutions and the rule of law. We call on Guatemalan authorities to guarantee due process, end judicial harassment against members of the press, and uphold their obligations to protect freedom of expression.