Press groups express concern about threats for Guatemalan journalists

GUATEMALA CITY — A coalition of press freedom groups expressed concern Wednesday about what they called the “historic” threats facing Guatemalan journalists because of government prosecutions.

The statement from the Committee to Protect Journalists, Article 19 and Reporters Without Borders, among others said the situation “is extremely worrisome, not just for the rights of journalists to report, but mainly for the public’s right to be informed.”

Their visit came two days after the closure of a Guatemalan newspaper known for hard-hitting investigations of government corruption. The founder of the newspaper was jailed last year.

The report said the government of President Alejandro Giammattei had targeted some media outlets to discourage others from reporting about corruption.

“Daring to report on the corruption and impunity endemic in the Guatemalan government was enough to unleash prosecution,” the statement read. “The media are facing historic threats.”

The last digital edition of the newspaper El Periódico came out Monday. It had stopped its print edition in November, but had continued to publish as a digital outlet.

The paper’s founder, José Rubén Zamora, is on trial for money laundering and other charges, allegations he has said were trumped up to silence an independent media outlet that has been critical of Giammattei’s administration.

Prosecutors accuse Zamora of money laundering related to a deposit of about $30,000 he asked someone else to make for him. Zamora’s relatives have said it was a donation from a supporter to cover the day-to-day costs of the paper after advertising fell off under government pressure. Zamora has said he didn’t deposit the money in the newspaper’s account because the donor didn’t want to be identified.

In addition to Zamora, nine other journalists and columnists from El Periódico are under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice.

The Guatemalan Association of Journalists and human rights activists have called the case a politically motivated campaign against Zamora because of his anti-corruption efforts.

The report said at least 20 Guatemala journalists have been forced to flee the country in recent years. The groups said they had requested a meeting with the government, but got no reply.

“While the government is incapable of protecting journalists or investigating attacks against them, it is quick to accuse and criminalize them,” the groups said.