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Filipino Journalist and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa Acquitted of Tax Evasion Charges

HeadlineJan 18, 2023

In the Philippines, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and journalist Maria Ressa has been acquitted of tax evasion charges in what was widely seen as a politically motivated case. Ressa is the founder of the independent news outlet Rappler and was a vocal critic of former Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, whose government filed the charges. Ressa spoke earlier today.

Maria Ressa: “These charges, as you know, were politically motivated. They were incredible to us, a brazen abuse of power, and meant to stop journalists from doing their jobs. … Today, facts win. Truth wins. Justice wins.”

Despite today’s acquittal, Maria Ressa’s legal problems are not over. She is currently on bail as she appeals a six-year prison sentence handed down in 2020 for a libel conviction. Click here to see our interviews with Maria Ressa.

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