PH gov’t urged to drop charges vs Maria Ressa
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa (File photo from REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — The #HoldTheLine Coalition, which is composed of over 80 journalists’ organizations around the world, renewed its call to the Philippine government to drop the charges against Rappler chief executive officer and journalist Maria Ressa.
The coalition pointed out that, while the legal team of Ressa “is almost certain that the remaining court will permit her to travel next week,” one problem of concern to its members is that the Philippine authorities could still attempt to restrict Ressa.
“The [Philippine] government’s relentless and retaliatory campaign against Ressa serves a sole purpose: to silence independent journalism and curtail the free flow of information in the country,” the coalition’s steering committee said in a statement.
The coalition is led by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Center for Journalists, and the Reporters Without Borders.
It called on the Philippine government to “drop all pending cases and charges against Ressa as well as to grant her ‘unrestricted permission’ to travel to Oslo, Norway, to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Court of Appeals had already allowed Ressa to travel to Oslo to personally receive the award.
