Statement re dropped libel charge against Maria Ressa

AJF Statement: Maria Ressa Libel Case Dismissal

Peter Greste, Spokesperson for the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom can be quoted as saying:

“The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom strongly welcomes the dismissal of another cyber libel charge against the Filipino journalist and CEO of Rappler, Maria Ressa.“We always believed this was a trumped-up charge. The decision is a positive step in strengthening the function of journalism in Philippine democracy.“This latest case involved a story published in Rappler, concerning allegations of corruption at a leading university in Manila. At a short hearing earlier this week, the court dismissed the case ‘with prejudice’, meaning that the complainant, cannot file a new claim over Rappler’s reporting.“Maria was Time Magazine’s person of the year in 2019 and is a highly respected journalist across the globe. She and Rappler face seven other spurious charges which are an attempt to intimidate journalists and publishers reporting in the public interest and holding those in power to account in the Philippines.”Media contact: Olivia Pirie-Griffiths, Executive Director, 0400 716 181, olivia@journalistsfreedom.com

AJF joins the #HoldTheLine Coalition in calling for the remaining charges against Ressa to be dropped, immediately. Journalism is not a crime.