Guatemala City: A Guatemalan judge ruled on Friday that renowned journalist José Zamora, who has spent over 800 days behind bars, will be moved to house arrest. Zamora, the founder of the now-defunct newspaper elPeriódico and a vocal critic of successive governments, was arrested in July 2022 on charges of money laundering—a charge he has consistently denied, claiming he is a political prisoner due to his work exposing corruption.
In 2023, Zamora was sentenced to six years in prison for money laundering. However, an appeals court overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial set for 2025.
Judge Erick García, who presided over the hearing, emphasized that Zamora’s extended time in pre-trial detention had reached its legal limit, as dictated by human rights standards. “We are imposing house arrest,” García stated in his ruling. “He is also forbidden to leave the country without judicial authorization.”
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Following the decision, Zamora expressed his relief, stating, “I am very satisfied. I appreciate what is happening.”
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In August, the United Nations raised concerns about Zamora’s imprisonment conditions, which a panel of experts claimed could amount to torture. The UN called on Guatemalan authorities to investigate the allegations of inhumane treatment and take appropriate action.
