Experts Urge Guatemala to Address Allegations of Torture Against Detained Journalist José Rubén Zamora

At 67 years old, Zamora’s deteriorating health has raised significant concerns among the experts, who emphasize that he has not received appropriate medical treatment.

Independent experts have urgently called on Guatemalan authorities to address alarming allegations of inhumane conditions of detention faced by José Rubén Zamora, a prominent journalist, newspaper founder, and publisher. The treatment he has reportedly endured may amount to torture and endanger his life, the experts warned.

Zamora, who has been detained for nearly twenty months, is said to have been subjected to solitary confinement in almost constant darkness, a condition the experts describe as tantamount to torture. The journalist has also reportedly faced various forms of inhumane or degrading treatment, including sleep deprivation, forced nudity, arbitrary cell searches, and a lack of response to a mite infestation in his cell.

“These bleak prison conditions have reportedly caused a serious deterioration in his physical and mental health, rapid weight loss, and declining eyesight. An underlying neurological disorder of polyneuropathy he suffers from has also reportedly been aggravated,” the experts noted.

At 67 years old, Zamora’s deteriorating health has raised significant concerns among the experts, who emphasize that he has not received appropriate medical treatment. “We are seriously concerned that Mr. Zamora has not received appropriate medical treatment for his physical and mental conditions, putting his life at risk. Like all persons deprived of liberty, he is entitled to be treated with dignity and humanity. The reported conditions Mr. Zamora has experienced would violate the absolute prohibition of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” they stated.

The experts also expressed concern over alleged violations of Zamora's due process rights and reported irregularities in court proceedings. They highlighted that the charges against him may be linked to his work as an investigative and anti-corruption journalist, warning that such actions could have a chilling effect on other journalists in Guatemala, hindering their ability to report freely without fear of reprisal.

The experts have raised these issues directly with the government of Guatemala, urging immediate action to address the situation and ensure Zamora's well-being.