Ressa, who says case is a form of harassment, was sentenced to up to six-year term in prison for libel last month
Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa leaves a regional trial court after pleading not guilty to tax evasion charges, in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 22, 2020.Maria Ressa, a journalist who runs a Philippine news website known for its tough scrutiny of President Rodrigo Duterte, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to tax evasion charges in a case she has described as a form of harassment.
Ressa, 56, who is chief executive of the news site Rappler, was convicted of libel last month and sentenced to up to six years in prison, a ruling widely seen as a blow to democratic freedoms under Duterte’s increasingly popular authoritarianism. She was freed on bail.Rappler has repeatedly challenged the accuracy of Duterte’s public statements and his justification for his controversial foreign policy.
Duterte has publicly lashed out at Rappler, calling it a “fake news outlet” sponsored by American spies. Rappler, a startup, has maintained foreigners never owned shares, but were allowed to invest without voting rights or involvement in operations. Rappler is still operating pending its appeal against its license being revoked.Media watchdogs and human rights activists say the charges against Ressa are part of a broader strategy to silence or humiliate opponents of Duterte.
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