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January 18, 2023

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