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08.07.2020 10:53
Free and independent press must be guaranteed
In light of the recent conviction of Filipino journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos for exposing a local businessman’s alleged ties to drug and human trafficking, together with my fellow members of the Media Working Group of the European Parliament, I have today written to Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte to urge him to drop these heineous charges against the journalists.
The local courts have ordered each journalist to pay fines and moral damages of almost $8,000, and sentenced them to a minimum of 6 months and 1 day and a maximum of 6 years in jail.
The conviction of these people sends the wrong message that critical reporting and investigative journalism carries with it a serious risk of imprisonment. The libel laws used in this case are aimed to silence into submission anyone who exposes or writes about serious wrong-doing, and these tactics have absolutely no place in any jurisdiction – whether locally, in the European Union or elsewhere.
This letter follows statements made by the European External Action Service and the UN independent expert on freedom of expression, condemning these convictions. Ressa, as editor of the Rappler news website, currently faces a total of almost 100 years in prison as a result of this and seven other cases brought against her, in an orchestrated campaign to use national laws to harass journalists.
In the letter sent to President Duterte, in my role as member of the Media Working Group, I have called for all charges against Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos to be dropped, to not oppose the appeals against the convictions and for free and independent press in the country to be guaranteed.
Note to editors
The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 187 Members from all EU Member States
Quaestor
David STELLINI
former staff member