The conviction of journalist and IPI Executive Board member Maria Ressa is highly deplorable and marks a sad day for press freedom in the Philippines, the International Press Institute (IPI) said. On June 15, 2020 the Manila Regional Trial convicted Ressa, CEO of the news website Rappler, and former Rappler writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on charges of cyber libel. Rappler itself, which was also a defendant in the case, was found not to be liable. In issuing the ruling, the judge stated that freedom of the press cannot be used as a shield against libel.

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