GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan authorities on Thursday arrested a lawyer representing the jailed director of an investigative newspaper and prosecuted a second lawyer for alleged obstruction of justice.
El Periodico’s José Rubén Zamora was placed on trial in December for cash laundering in reference to a 2013 donation to his newspaper that he requested a pal to deposit to disguise the donor’s identification.
Zamora and his newspaper had aggressively pursued tales of misconduct and corruption in President Alejando Giammattei’s present administration. El Periodico stopped publishing a printed complement on November 30 on account of monetary difficulties.
Anti-corruption prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche mentioned in a video assertion Zamora’s attorneys have been conspiring to hinder the investigation. Mario Castañeda was arrested and the authorities sought the arrest of Romeo Montoya.
Free press organizations have condemned the persecution of Zamora as an try and silence a important voice within the media. Currucchiche was sanctioned by the US authorities final yr for allegedly obstructing corruption investigations.
The USA and worldwide human rights teams have criticized the deterioration of judicial independence in Guatemala. Greater than 30 judges, prosecutors and different members of the authorized system have fled into exile to keep away from prosecution.