Guatemalan court orders release of journalist jailed for nearly 2 years on money laundering charges

By SONIA PÉREZ D.
Associated Press

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A Guatemalan court has ordered the release of journalist José Rubén Zamora, jailed for nearly two years on money laundering charges. Zamora, the 67-year-old founder of El Periodico newspaper, was sentenced to six years in prison last June for alleged money laundering. But that conviction and sentence were overturned by another court and a new trial ordered. For nearly two years, he has been kept in jail. But on Wednesday, a judge ruled that there was no longer justification to keep him in jail, noting that he was not considered a flight risk or a threat to the investigation. Zamora will spend the rest of his time before a new trial on a conditional release