RSF condemns Guatemalan Court’s decision to return Jose Rubén Zamora to prison
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns the recent decision by a Guatemalan appellate court to revoke house arrest for journalist Jose Rubén Zamora and order his return to prison. The ruling, issued on 15 November, is yet another example of the corruption that has marred Guatemala’s judicial system and poses a serious threat to press freedom in the country.
In a shocking move on 15 November, a Guatemalan appellate court overturned a prior court decision granting house arrest to journalist Jose Rubén Zamora and ordered his immediate return to prison, following an appeal by prosecutors. Zamora, the founder and publisher of elPeriódico newspaper, had been under house arrest since 19 October after spending over two years in preventive and arbitrary detention on trumped-up charges of money laundering, extortion, and obstruction of justice. His defence team has since filed a provisional injunction to suspend the ruling, arguing that returning him to custody would violate his fundamental rights and international human rights standards.
“We are alarmed by the latest court decision in Guatemala that could see elPeriódico publisher Jose Rubén Zamora return to jail less than a month after his release to house arrest. This is an outrageous move that highlights continued corruption of the Guatemalan judiciary. The need for Zamora’s full and unconditional release has never been more urgent. We call again on President Arévalo to do everything in his power to secure Zamora’s full freedom, and to ensure his protection now as an urgent priority.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo immediately condemned the decision, stating: “Once again they want Jose Rubén Zamora to return to prison in a completely abusive and arbitrary way. Our justice system is on trial, and the Guatemalan people have been clear in demanding respect for doing journalism. Any resolution against freedom of expression is illegitimate. Guatemala’s government will take measures to defend freedom of expression.”
The situation remains critical. Unless a provisional injunction is granted soon, Zamora faces the possibility of returning to prison, either by presenting himself voluntarily or being forcibly recaptured. The Public Ministry has warned that failing to comply with a judge’s order could result in criminal liability for everyone involved, from the Minister down to the police officers providing security.
Zamora, 68, was initially arrested in July 2022 and spent over 800 days in detention before his release to house arrest. In June 2023, he was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of money laundering. That verdict was annulled, but new charges brought by prosecutors, led by Attorney General Consuelo Porras—sanctioned by the U.S. and EU for corruption—have kept the journalist entangled in legal proceedings.
The ongoing persecution of Jose Rubén Zamora not only violates his rights but sends a chilling message to all journalists working to hold power to account - including at least 25 Guatemalan journalists facing similar charges, who have been forced into exile to avoid a similar fate to Zamora.
