Newsmedianews | Korea news

KOREA NEWS

Oldest intelligent homo sapien remains found in Ireland
Kerry farmer apologises for horrific ‘mix-up’
Elmo Maheeny has been replaced by Rumpold Slitskin
What a Load of Trash—self-generating trash research report
Our world today
Of Cannabis Freedom and Dictators
Börhd Hooligan goes ballistic
Reporters Without Borders - Freedom of Information
Crippling the Killing Machine —Hermit Empeysex on war
Contribute news direct to this website
Poll results say 'No-DSS' advertising 'unlawful and discriminatory'
Newsmedianews features index
The basement Years mp3 collection
A Question of Education? Perhaps—but whose? - Hermit Empeysex reports
An examination of Britain's ''improved' state welfare system
Lord Knoxborough still missing
Vote on a range of current and other issues
An encounter with the UK D-Notice-archived yarn
News from the European Union
Newsmedianews forum
Editorial
Our Muppet Democracies - Hermit Empeysex
Exclusive - the Toise Collection

Newsmedianews ads

Purchase a Keith Harris CD
Software store

+ Larger Font | - Smaller Font
View all direct news items Search Direct Input items

Direct news input story index

No current entries to show

What’s this?

Direct news input items

Dismay over Philippine journalist Maria Ressa's prison sentence printable version

15 Jun 2020: posted by the editor - Journalism, Philippines

By RSF.org
Press watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling on the Phillipine judiciary to overturn a journalist convition and jail sentence following what RSF said was a Kafkaesque court case.

A Manila regional court convicted Maria Ressa, co-founder and director of the independent news website Rappler, over an article published in 2012 that was the subject of a complaint by a businessman. But the case was brought under a cyber-crime law that took effect after the article's publication. Rappler's former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr received the same sentence. Both were allowed to post bail, pending an appeal.

As no criminal legislation can be retroactive, the National Bureau of Investigation logically dismissed the case in February 2018. But President Rodrigo Duterte's department of justice decided otherwise. It revived the case in February 2019 on the grounds that a supposed principle of "continuous publication" could be applied to websites.

"By passing this extremely harsh sentence at the end of utterly Kafkaesque proceedings, the Philippine justice system has demonstrated a complete lack of independence from the executive," said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF's Asia-Pacific desk.

"This sentence bears the malevolent mark of President Duterte and his desire, by targeting Rappler and the figure of Maria Ressa, to eliminate all criticism whatever the cost. We urge Manila's judges to restore a semblance of credibility to the Philippine judicial system by overturning this conviction on appeal."

Systematic harassment
RSF said the conviction of Ressa and Rappler is the latest chapter in the systematic judicial harassment to which they have been subjected by various government agencies for more than two years. Either directly or through Ressa, the website i s facing ten other similar complaints, each as baseless as the other, with the aim of intimidating its journalists.

What with denying its reporters access to the presidential palace, threatening to withdraw its licence and accusing it of tax evasion, the authorities have stopped at nothing to harass Rappler, even arbitrarily detaining Ressa overnight in February 2019.

ABS-CBN, the biggest Philippine broadcast network and one of the few other media outlets to dare criticize the government, had its franchise withdrawn last month. Its radio stations and TV channels all stopped broadcasting on 5 May at the behest of the justice department and National Telecommunications Commission.

The country's irascible and authoritarian president had warned the network's executives last December: "If you expect that will be renewed, I'm sorry. I will see to it that you're out."

After falling seven places since 2017, the Philippines is ranked 136th out of 180 countries and territories in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

Tags: Maria Ressa, Reynaldo Santos Jr, Rappler, press freedom, President Rodrigo Duterte

Back to headlines

comments (0)
recommend

bignewsnetwork.com latest rss headlines

(SP)QATAR-DOHA-TABLE TENNIS-ITTF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS-MEN'S SINGLES

(250517) -- DOHA, May 17, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Xue Fei competes during the men's round of 128 match between Xue Fei of China and Shinozuka Hiroto of Japan at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

Tibetan leader slams China's repression in Tibet at UK parliament, urges action on religious freedom

London [UK] May 16 (ANI): Secretary of the Office of Tibet in London, made a powerful plea for Tibet during a joint parliamentary event titled 'United Voices: A Joint Discussion About Freedom in North Korea, China, Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Burma/Myanmar,' as reported by the Central Tibet Administration (CTA).

The event took place on May 14 in the UK Parliament and was co-hosted by the All-Party Parliamenta

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-WOMEN'S 71KG(CN)

(250513) -- JIANGSHAN, May 13, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Yang Qiuxia of China competes during the women's 71kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-MEN'S 89KG (CN)

(250512) -- JIANGSHAN, May 12, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Li Dayin of China competes during the men's 89kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

North Koreas Kim Oversees Air Drills

TEHRAN (Tasnim) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised drills by its air force and underscored the need for a step-up in war preparation, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on May 17.

- news -

Kim, who inspected anti-aircraft combat and air strike drills by North Koreas 1st Air Division on May 15, called for all units in the entire military to bring about a breakthrough in war preparation, the state

Wang Chuqin romps into second round at table tennis worlds

DOHA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- China's world No. 2 Wang Chuqin delivered a commanding performance, defeating American Nandan Naresh at the men's singles first round of the world table tennis championships on Saturday night.

Wang controlled the match effortlessly and left the 18-year-old opponent with limited opportunities to challenge him, winning the one-sided affair 11-6, 11-4, 11-2, 11-4.

A service call was

Top DPRK leader supervises air force drills

PYONGYANG, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday visited a group of the Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People's Army, and supervised the anti-air combat and air raid drills, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK

FIFA World Cup 26 AFC Qualifiers: UAE 2-1 North Korea

RIYADH, 25th March, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Arab Emirates' quest to reach a first FIFA World Cup in 36 years received a major boost with a dramatic late win in Riyadh. Sultan Adil's 98th-minute diving header denied North Korea a hard-earned draw and took Paulo Bento's side to within four points of qualifying rivals Uzbekistan.

UAE had gone into this game as heavy favourites and everything looked to be running to

Numbers Continue Rising Six Years After Security Council Adopted Resolution 2474 (2019) on Missing Persons in Armed Conflict, Speakers Warn, Urging Action to Implement Text

Note: Full coverage of today's meeting of the Security Council will be available on 16 May.

As the Security Council met today to consider the issue of persons reported missing in armed conflict, speakers — including a woman whose father was abducted during the Korean War and a father whose son’s remains have yet to be returned from the one in Gaza — illustrated th

Persistent Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons by Pyongyang Continues to Undermine Global Non-proliferation Regime, Assistant Secretary-GeneralTells Security Council

(Note: Owing to the liquidity crisis affecting our organization, complete coverage of today's Security Council meeting will be made available on Thursday, 8 May.)

The persistent pursuit of nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile programmes by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — in violation of Security Council resolutions — continues to undermine the global nuclear d

Hawaii lawmakers seek to help farms provide more fresh produce for school meals

FAA investigates plane crash leaving two injured near Yuba County Airport

2 dead after small plane crash near Broomfield- North Metro Fire Rescue

bignewsnetwork.com latest rss headlines

Foreign travel spending in US to decline 7% in 2025, report says

NEW YORK - International travel spending in the United States is projected to decline by 7 percent in 2025, amounting to a US$12.5 billion loss, as foreign visitors steer clear of U.S. vacations due to political concerns and a strong dollar, according to a report from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Julia Simpson, CEO of the WTTC, stated that the U.S. is the only country among 184 nations experienci

Puerto Rico lures manufacturing to lift economy facing Trump's tariffs

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: As the global trade war deepens, Puerto Rico is seizing the moment to lure international companies to relocate manufacturing operations to the U.S. territory, where they can avoid tariffs.

Government officials are actively courting businesses in sectors like aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, promoting Puerto Rico's tariff-exempt status. "T

China Sports Weekly (5.11-5.17)

BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:

1. Chinese men's 4x400m team breaks national record at 2025 World Athletics Relays

Team China set a new national record in the men's 4x400m in 3 minutes and 1.87 seconds at the 2025 World Athletics Relays here on May 10 in rain.

The competition serves as a main qualification for relay events a

Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi celebrates International Museum Day

Abu Dhabi [UAE], May 17 (ANI/WAM): This International Museum Day on Sunday, May 18, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi is the ultimate destination for culture lovers.

From ancient artefacts and contemporary exhibitions to immersive digital art and hands-on workshops, there's something to spark visitors' imagination with experiences continuing all month long.

At the heart of it all is Louvre Abu Dhabi, offering free

Even if Apple moves manufacturing to US, India will not lose much: Global Trade Research Initiative

New Delhi [India] May 16 (ANI): If Apple CEO Tim Cook decides to move manufacturing unit from India to US, it will be Apple which will lose more than India says a report by Global Trade Research Initiative founder Ajay Srivastava.

India may lose some low paying jobs, but if we see holistically currently, India earns USD 30 per iPhone, much of it is given back to Apple as subsidy under the Production Linked Subsid

Indian markets open flat, strong inflow from FPIs continue, DII remain steady

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 16 (ANI): Indian stock markets opened on a flat note on Friday, though the Nifty 50 index continued to show positive momentum.

The Nifty 50 opened at 25,064.65, registering a marginal gain of 2.55 points or 0.01 per cent. In contrast, the BSE Sensex opened lower at 82,392.63 points, declining by 138.11 points or 0.17 per cent.

Market experts noted that Indian equities are b

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-MEN'S +109KG(CN)

(250515) -- JIANGSHAN, May 15, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Amir Abdullaev of Uzbekistan reacts during the men's +109kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-WOMEN'S +87KG(CN)

(250515) -- JIANGSHAN, May 15, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Park Hyejeong of South Korea competes during the women's +87kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

Nifty, Sensex open flat; consolidation may continue: Experts

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 15 (ANI): Indian stock markets opened on a cautious note on Thursday, taking a breather after a strong rally witnessed earlier in the week.

The Nifty 50 index opened flat at 24,694.45, gaining 27.55 points or 0.11 per cent, while the BSE Sensex began the session at 81,354.43 with a modest rise of 23.87 points or 0.03 per cent.

Market participants noted that the inflows from

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-MEN'S 109KG (CN)

(250514) -- JIANGSHAN, May 14, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Sharofiddin Amriddinov of Uzbekistan competes during the men's 109kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-WOMEN'S 87KG (CN)

(250514) -- JIANGSHAN, May 14, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Anamjan Rustamova of Turkmenistan competes during during the women's 87kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-MEN'S 96KG(CN)

(250513) -- JIANGSHAN, May 13, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Ali Alipour of Iran competes during the men's 96kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-WOMEN'S 76KG (CN)

(250513) -- JIANGSHAN, May 13, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Total gold medalist Liao Guifang of China reacts during the awarding ceremony for the women's 76kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

(SP)CHINA-JIANGSHAN-WEIGHTLIFTING-ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS-WOMEN'S 81KG (CN)

(250513) -- JIANGSHAN, May 13, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Wu Yan of China competes during the women's 81kg competition at 2025 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Jiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Hou Zhaokang)

Xinhua Photo Daily | May 13, 2025

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A selection of the best press photos from Xinhua.Models present creations during the 2025 Puyuan Fashion Week at the Puyuan Fashion Resort in Puyuan Town of Tongxiang City of Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)Shao Long (R) heads for the rescue of a respiratory and cardiac arrest case at the First Hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang, northeast C