Jun 16, 2020 - World

State Department says it's "concerned" about Philippines’ Maria Ressa conviction

Jacob Knutson

Maria Ressa at a Manila trial court to attend her promulgation on June 15. Photo: Dante Diosina Jr/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The State Department released a one-sentence statement on Tuesday noting that the U.S. is "concerned" for the future of freedom of expression in the Philippines after a court found journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos guilty of "cyber libel."

Why it matters: The case, which Ressa and activists say is a politically motivated prosecution by the Philippines' government, has been monitored around the world because of its implications for press freedom in the increasingly authoritarian country.

Ressa and Santos were sentenced to between six months to six years in prison Monday for publishing an article about a businessman with links to the government in 2012.

What they're saying: "The United States is concerned by the trial court’s verdict against journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos and calls for resolution of the case in a way that reinforces the U.S. and Philippines’ long shared commitment to freedom of expression, including for members of the press," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in the statement.

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State Department says it's "concerned" about Philippines’ Maria Ressa conviction

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