Guatemala / Americas

Twenty-four civil society organizations working in seven Latin American countries, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, released a November 2024 report titled “Impact of state censorship measures on the right to freedom of expression in the Americas,” which included information provided during the 190th regular session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in July 2024.  The press freedom groups work in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador,…

Less than a month after being moved to house arrest, a Guatemalan appeals court ordered journalist José Rubén Zamora back to jail on November 15, 2024. Zamora remains in house arrest while his lawyers and the Attorney General’s Office have appealed the motion, his son told CPJ. The decision is a new blow to press freedom in Guatemala. Zamora,…

The Committee to Protect Journalist and 18 other civil society organizations called on Guatemalan authorities to respect the independence of the judiciary at an October 18 hearing over the release of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora from pre-trial detention. The statement highlights a “deeply troubling trend” of criminalizing and intimidating human rights defenders, including Judge Rodolfo…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined eight other press freedom organizations in calling for the release of Guatemalan journalist José Ruben Zamora, who has spent 800 days in detention since his July 29, 2022 arrest on charges of money laundering charges—which international organizations describe as arbitrary and politically motivated. The statement urged the Guatemalan government, especially President…

Mexico City, September 6, 2024—Nicaraguan authorities deported 135 political prisoners to Guatemala on Thursday, September 5, including journalist Víctor Ticay. “Nicaragua’s release of journalist Víctor Ticay brings us relief, but he should have never been imprisoned, as he was simply doing his job as a journalist,” said Cristina Zahar, CPJ’s Latin America program coordinator, in São Paulo. “Nicaragua must…

São Paulo, July 29, 2024—Marking the second anniversary of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora’s detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists renews its calls for President Bernardo Arévalo’s administration to free Zamora without further delay. “For two years now, José Rubén Zamora has been behind bars in horrific conditions, despite a court order for a retrial,”…

Mexico City, July 18, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists supports the urgent appeal filed to U.N. officials by an international legal team on behalf of Guatemalan investigative journalist José Rubén Zamora, who the appeal says has been wrongfully imprisoned since 2022 and held in conditions “that amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading…

Mexico City, July 2, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s Monday declaration that the continued imprisonment of Guatemalan investigative journalist José Rubén Zamora is arbitrary and in violation of international law. CPJ echoes the group’s call for Zamora’s immediate release. “The U.N. Working Group’s acknowledgment of José…

Update: A Guatemalan court ordered on May 15 that José Rubén Zamora be released to house arrest to await trial in the first of three cases against him. He was not immediately released as decisions remained pending in the other two cases.  Mexico City, May 14, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls upon Guatemalan authorities…

Mexico City, April 9, 2024— Guatemalan authorities must drop all legal proceedings against journalist Jorge Tizol and hold accountable those responsible for his unwarranted detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. According to news reports, on April 6, police arrested Tizol, who reports for the La Jefa radio station, various local TV stations, and from his Canal…