Philippines: convicted of online defamation, Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa loses appeal
Journalist Maria Ressa here at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila, Philippines February 13, 2019. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Filipino Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa has lost her appeal against a conviction for online defamation, her news site Rappler announced on July 8, which was forced to close on June 29.
Advertising
Read more
Maria Ressa and her former colleague Rey Santos Jr face lengthy prison sentences, but they "
will use all legal remedies available to them
",
the outlet
said , including taking the case to the Supreme Court.
Rappler called the decision "
unfortunate
", saying it "
weakens the ability of journalists to hold power to account
".
“
What is at stake, ultimately, is our democracy, whose strength lies in a media that is neither threatened by the state nor intimidated by forces that seek to silence critical voices
,” said Rappler said.
Ms Ressa
has long been a vocal critic of Duterte and his murderous war on drugs, launched in 2016, sparking what press freedom advocates say is a series of criminal charges, investigations and attacks. online against her and her media.
She and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov received the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2021 for their efforts to "
safeguard freedom of expression
".
She faces at least seven court cases including one of online defamation, for which she was released on bail and faces up to six years in prison.
► To read also:
Philippines: the ICC authorizes an investigation into President Duterte's "war on drugs"
Rappler forced to close last week
Rappler was ordered to close on June 29, but "
we continue to work, it's business as usual
," Maria Ressa told the press at the time.
The announcement of the closure of this digital platform came on the eve of the end of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.
Rappler is the subject of lawsuits and numerous online threats.
The Philippine Securities Commission had confirmed in a press release “
the revocation of the certificates which allowed the creation
” of Rappler.
This measure is based on the fact that this media has violated “
constitutional and statutory restrictions on foreign ownership in the media
”.
This decision "
confirms the closure
" of the digital platform, according to Rappler, who intended to appeal this "
very irregular
" procedure.
► Also to listen:
Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize 2021: "This prize belongs to journalists who hold on"
Rappler has been struggling to survive since Mr. Duterte's government accused him of tax evasion and breaking foreign ownership regulations in order to secure funding.
The site has also been accused of violating a cybercrime law passed in 2012, the year Rappler was founded.
The news portal is accused of allowing outsiders to take control of its website by issuing "
certificates of deposit
" through its parent company Rappler Holdings.
According to the Constitution, media investments are restricted to Filipinos or Filipino-controlled entities.
In 2015, the site had issued bonds to raise funds, which had been subscribed among others by an American company, Omidyar Network, created by the founder of eBay, Pierre Omidyar.
(With
AFP
)
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Philippines
Media
Justice
Rodrigo Duterte
Freedom of press