Guatemala: RSF welcomes Supreme Court decision in Jose Rubén Zamora case and renews call for his full release
On 13 January, the Supreme Court of Justice accepted Jose Rubén Zamora's request for constitutional protection, preventing his imminent return to prison. The editor of elPeriódico — one of the leading voices of independent journalism in Guatemala — will remain under house arrest until the legal proceedings against him are completed. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for Jose Rubén Zamora’s full release, and for reforms to combat the judicial corruption that currently threatens press freedom.
On 13 January, Guatemala's Supreme Court ruled in favour of the elPeriódico founder's request for constitutional protection, a legal right called amparo. The decision puts an end to the violation of his right to be presumed innocent, allowing Jose Rubén Zamora to remain under house arrest instead of being sent back to prison until a final judgment is handed down in the three ongoing cases against him.
“The Supreme Court has made a landmark decision to block the repressive machinery that persists in Guatemala’s judicial system. It is a demonstration of independence and respect for the fundamental rights of elPeriódico’s founder, who was at risk of returning to prison after a controversial decision by the appeals court in November. By protecting him, the Supreme Court is also ensuring that press freedom is not further undermined. We welcome this decision and reiterate our call for Jose Rubén Zamora’s full release, and for reforms to ensure that judicial corruption no longer threatens journalism.
Jose Rubén Zamora's return to prison would have been a major setback in a long-running case that has drawn widespread condemnation, both nationally and internationally. Initially arrested in July 2022 — despite being acquitted of the money laundering charges on which his arrest was based — Jose Rubén Zamora spent 813 days in pre-trial detention before being released and given alternative punitive measures in October 2024. His retrial for money laundering is scheduled for September 2025, and two other secondary cases against him are still ongoing. The arrest and prosecution of Jose Rubén Zamora is part of a campaign of judicial harassment orchestrated by the Public Ministry and the Anti-Terrorism Foundation, entities known for attacking critical voices in Guatemala.
RSF has consistently called for the release of Jose Rubén Zamora and an end to judicial harassment of independent journalists in Guatemala. Since Bernardo Arévalo took office in January 2024, RSF representatives have met with the president twice and visited Jose Rubén Zamora in jail twice, always urging the government to live up to its public promises to uphold press freedom. Although positive steps were taken in the early days of the Arevalo administration — such as improving Jose Rubén Zamora’s detention conditions and engaging in dialogue with the media — the persistent judicial persecution highlights the limits of these reforms.
Bernardo Arévalo has just completed his first year in office, and RSF urges the president to take stronger measures to ensure that Guatemala's judicial system is no longer used as an instrument of political persecution against journalists and critics.
