Philippines convict journalist of ‘cyber libel’
The persecution of the courageous journalist Maria Ressa in the Philippines should not only horrify her compatriots and her counterparts elsewhere. The conviction of Ms Ressa and a former colleague for cyberlibel this week, which could see them serve up to six years in prison, is designed to chill the media. But it should reverberate throughout her nation and more widely, because it forms part of a broader assault on democracy.
Having overthrown dictatorship three decades ago, the Philippines is now regressing under its authoritarian but popular president, Rodrigo Duterte. His brutal “war on drugs,” with its thousands of extrajudicial killings, has been accompanied by a relentless campaign against those who have dared to challenge it or otherwise criticize him.
As president-elect, Mr Duterte suggested that corrupt journalists were “not exempted” from assassination and told reporters: “You won’t be killed if you don’t do anything wrong.” The leading broadcaster ABS-CBN was forced off air last month when its licence was not renewed.
Rappler, the news website headed by Ms Ressa, has already faced verbal attacks by Mr Duterte, multiple investigations, tax fraud charges and the revocation of its licence. Amnesty has described this week’s verdict as a sham. The Philippines has signed treaties that outlaw jailing people for libel. The article, which alleged ties between a businessman and a high court judge, was not authored by Ms Ressa herself. It appeared years before the legislation on cyberlibel had been passed. Yet the court accepted that Rappler had “republished” it because a single spelling mistake was corrected. Ms Ressa is now appealing.
This is, as she has said, an existential moment for journalism and for democracy. The country’s legislature has just passed a draconian anti-terrorism bill allowing the surveillance, warrantless arrest and detention of “suspicious” individuals. Human rights defenders say it will give authorities carte blanche to target those who criticize them online.
Under another president, the US would strongly press Manila over Ms Ressa’s case. But Donald Trump has normalized authoritarians and enabled the abuses of press freedom that are now increasing worldwide. As his administration stands by, making only the most feeble statement, others must take a stand. While the UK has rightly expressed concern about the case, it should now work with others to defend media freedom.
It is not merely that Ms Ressa and her colleagues need and deserve support: her case has such frightening implications beyond her own country. When Mr Duterte is given a free pass for his behaviour, other leaders take note. Without freedom of the media, it is impossible to protect other freedoms: citizens cannot know what is being done in their name. Journalists are targeted because they sound the alarm. They must not be silenced.