GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A group of journalists being investigated by the Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office, with the authorization of a judge, requested an injunction from a judicial court to stop the investigation that, in their opinion, poses a threat of persecution penalty for the publications they make in their journalistic practice.
The amparo was requested by Denis Aguilar, Álex Valdez, Rony Ríos and Christian Véliz, with the accompaniment of the organization Acción Ciudadana and the chapter of Transparency International in Guatemala, with the intention of stopping the investigation.
Edie Cux, from Acción Ciudadana, said that with the appeal they intend to respect what the constitution says, that “there is no crime, nor is there any fault for criticism made by journalists.” Any official who feels offended by journalistic publications can make use of established legal mechanisms such as the press jury to settle the matter.
A little over a week ago, Judge Jimi Bremer, at the request of prosecutor Cinthia Edelmira Monterroso, authorized the investigation of nine journalists and columnists for the morning newspaper El Periódico for allegedly obstructing justice by publishing journalistic investigations into complaints, doubtful court rulings or disciplinary processes of justice operators, including issues where Monterroso was mentioned.
The prosecutor has been denounced for actions related to the abuse of power in the exercise of her position and is also in charge of two proceedings against the president of El Periódico, José Rubén Zamora, who has been imprisoned for more than seven months for money laundering crimes of money, blackmail and obstruction of justice.
Zamora is a well-known journalist, very critical of the government of current Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, and his media outlet specializes in anti-corruption issues that he has exposed for years.
After Zamora’s arrest, dozens of media, national and international organizations have called for his release, denouncing that there is a setup behind the accusations against him. Last week his lawyers announced that, at Zamora’s request, they were leaving his defense, because the Prosecutor’s Office has also initiated criminal proceedings against the defenders.