Journalist Maria Ressa arrested in connection with cyber libel case

Maria Ressa, the editor of Philippines’s digital news site Rappler, was issued an arrest warrant at the Rappler headquarters now. Rappler reports that the arrest is in connection with a cyber libel case filed by the justice department.

An officer who is part of the serving party has prohibited reporters from taking videos. Rappler also said the officer told the reporters “we’ll go after you too”. The proceedings are being streamed live on Rappler‘s Facebook page.

Rappler says: “The Department of Justice has recommended the filing in court of cyber libel charges against Ressa and former Rappler researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr over a story published in May 2012—or 4 months before the law that they allegedly violated was enacted.”

Ressa was previously arrested and released on bail in December 2018. Awarded the 2018 Knight International Journalism Award last month, she has worked over 30 years in the field of journalism and is at the forefront of the battle for press freedom under the Duterte regime in the Philippines.

Ressa attended The Media Rumble last year where she spoke about press freedom and taking on the Duterte government.