It would have been too nice if the Filipino regime had given journalist Maria Ressa the opportunity to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in person at the award ceremony on December 10 in Oslo.
She receives it for the intrepid, life-threatening educational work that she has been doing for years with her online platform Rappler about the machinations of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The mark that the jury sets with the awarding of the award works worldwide for freedom of the press and hits Duterte's mark.
Maria Ressa and her researchers bring to light that Duterte in his proclaimed fight against drug crime, all means are right.
So it is no wonder that the government refuses to leave the journalist, who has been hung on the neck for countless legal proceedings.
The formal reason given by lawyers to the Philippine government could not be more absurd: there is a "risk of fleeing," according to the litigation documents quoted by the AFP agency.
Maria Ressa is currently charged with alleged "defamation". She has been released on bail and is on a lecture tour in the United States. Although the government recognizes that the Nobel Peace Prize is a “prestigious” award, said Maria Ressa's lawyer Amal Clooney, this allegedly does not constitute a “compelling” reason for an exit permit. “Her repeated criticism of Filipino court cases (...) reveals their lack of respect for the judicial system and consequently there is a risk of escape ”, says the government lawyer. What a logic: Those who criticize show no respect, we hold onto them. A visit to the United States - yes, the trip to Oslo - no.
There is nothing behind this, of course, than trying to prevent the honored woman from speaking.
We are in a situation, said Maria Ressa in the Washington Post, not only with regard to the Philippines, which could lead to fascism and tyranny.
But democracy is not lost.
The world wants to hear more from her on December 10th in Oslo.