[Partner] AAJA and AAJA-Asia Condemn Maria Ressa's Appeal Denial
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Maria Ressa, speaking at DW Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany (Photo by Ronka Oberhammer/DW)
The article in question was published on May 29, 2012, months before the cybercrime law was enacted. Ressa was not even the editor of the piece.
In dismissing their appeal, the court also lengthened their jail time – to up to six years, eight months and 20 days.
This comes just a week after the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) upheld its order to revoke Rappler’s license.
AAJA-Asia strongly condemns this sustained campaign of legal persecution against journalists and calls on the new government to drop the charges and foster a better environment for independent media. We also echo Rappler’s call for the Supreme Court to take a second look at the constitutionality of cyber libel – these are among the reasons why the Philippines has fallen to 147th out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index this year.
AAJA-Asia has always unequivocally stood in full support of Ressa, Rappler and all journalists around the region who face harassment and threats in the course of their work – and call on our communities to do the same.
– The Asian American Journalists Association Board of Directors and AAJA-Asia Board of Directors
#DefendPressFreedom #HoldTheLine
About AAJA-Asia
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a nonprofit educational and professional organization with more than 1,500 members across the U.S. and Asia. It was founded in 1981 by a group of AAPI journalists seeking to support one another and to encourage more AAPIs to pursue journalism. Today, we continue to champion the development of AAPI representation and leadership in journalism through trainings, opportunities, and resources for our members as well as through nurturing and maintaining a network and community of AAPI journalists globally.
The Asia chapter of AAJA represents members across the Asia-Pacific region. It is a diverse, multi-ethnic community of local and international journalists and media professionals committed to supporting a vibrant press in the Asia-Pacific region. We are committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in media organizations, providing training opportunities to members, supporting students interested in journalism and advocating for fair media access.
