Press Club Leaders Urge Guatemala to Drop Case Against El Periódico and Free José Rubén Zamora

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May 15, 2023, 15:13 ET

WASHINGTON, May 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement by Eileen O'Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on the Guatemalan news outlet El Periódico completely ceasing publication on Monday amid the continued prosecution of its president, José Rubén Zamora, in Guatemala City.

"We regret the loss of the invaluable, hard-hitting news coverage provided for decades by El Periódico in Guatemala, as well as the ongoing trial of its president and founder José Rubén Zamora. Guatemalan authorities have unjustly harassed and targeted El Periódico and its journalists due to its investigations and over a hundred exposés on corruption within the Guatemalan government. The ongoing trial of Zamora – an internationally recognized, award-winning journalist – on trumped-up charges makes a mockery of the country's justice system. A total of nine El Periódico journalists are currently under investigation including three columnists. Zamora's treatment has been particularly cruel. He has been unfairly held in prison for the better part of a year and four of his defense attorneys have been arrested. Two are still in prison.

"Due to the government's campaign against it, including the seizure of its bank accounts, El Periódico laid off most of its staff and ceased print publication late last year. For a time, the news organization was able to maintain an online news presence but the continued judicial persecution by the government has made even that untenable. We ask the government of President Alejandro Giammattei to drop its ridiculous case against Zamora, his attorneys, and the rest of the El Periódico staff and to immediately free all those imprisoned in the case. We are very alarmed by this persecution, which represents an effort to kill independent investigative journalism in Guatemala and is a flagrant violation of the country's constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for The National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club