The second appeals chamber of the Judicial Body of Guatemala revoked on Friday the house arrest of journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín and ordered his return to preventive prison at the Mariscal Zavala military facility. Zamora Marroquín, 68 years old and with a three-decade journalistic career investigating state corruption in Guatemala, had been under house arrest for a few days until this measure was revoked.
According to José Carlos Zamora, son of the journalist, the family was notified on Friday morning about the court order to return their father to prison. This measure must be complied with within the next two days. Zamora Marroquín was first arrested on July 29, 2022, accused of money laundering shortly after criticizing the administration of then-president Alejandro Giammattei.
José Rubén Zamora Marroquín is the founder of the investigative media outlet El Periódico and has been known for exposing cases of corruption in the president's inner circle. In 2021, he reported irregularities in the government's acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, the Inter-American Press Society (SIP) has pointed out anomalies in the legal process against the journalist, including the limitation to present exculpatory evidence.
During his time in prison, Zamora Marroquín received visits from representatives of the United States government and human rights organizations. The journalist previously expressed that he did not rule out the possibility of being sent back to prison. In recent years, several people, including journalists, judges, and activists, have had to flee Guatemala due to alleged political persecution against them.
