WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2023) The United States is deeply concerned about reports that a Guatemalan court authorized a probe of journalists over obstruction charges, State Department Spokesperson Ned price said on Thursday.
"We are deeply concerned by reports of a court order to investigate nine Guatemalan journalists for obstruction of justice," Price said in a press release. "We urge the Guatemalan justice system to reject the criminalization of independent journalists."
One of the detained journalists, elPeriodicio founder Jose Ruben Zamora, has been held in pre-trial detention since July 2022, Price added.
In December, the Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) and other reporters in a letter to Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei said they opposed Zamora's detention.
They said the prosecutors have yet to provide evidence backing charges against Zamora, which include blackmail, influence peddling, and money laundering for receiving $38,000 intended for elPeriodico.
