HAVANA TIMES – In the Philippines, the independent news website Rappler has won an eight-year legal battle and will continue its operations after a court voided a shutdown order issued under former President Rodrigo Duterte. Rappler and its Nobel Peace Prize-winning co-founder Maria Ressa were consistently persecuted by Duterte for their critical coverage of his authoritarian rule and his deadly “war on drugs.” Maria Ressa spoke after the court ruling.
Maria Ressa: “This court decision, the latest in a string of court victories for Rappler, is a much-needed reminder that the mission of journalism can thrive, even in the line of fire, to speak truth to power, to hold the line, to build a better world.”