[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’UN experts urge PH: Preserve free media’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
January 28, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
MANILA – United Nations human rights experts called on the Philippine government to allow news website Rappler to operate, voicing concern at rising rhetoric against voices critical of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The Securities and Exchange Commission revoked Rappler’s license on Jan. 11 for ownership violations. Rappler executive editor Maria Ressa met state investigators last Monday to answer what she called a suspicious complaint about a 2012 story.
“We are gravely concerned that the government is moving to revoke Rappler’s license,” three UN human rights experts said in a joint statement.
“We are especially concerned that this move against Rappler comes at a time of rising rhetoric against independent voices in the country,” they added.
Philippine authorities denied that Rappler was being punished and said the news website broke the law in 2015 by granting American investor Omidyar Network the means to exercise control over it, or veto powers on company decisions.
Rappler, which continues to operate normally pending an appeal, denied it broke the law.
“Rappler’s work rests on its own freedom to impart information and, more importantly, its vast readership to have access to its public interest reporting,” the UN experts said.
There was no basis under international human rights law to block Rappler from operating, said the experts.
“Rappler and other independent outlets need particular protection because of the essential role they play in ensuring robust public debate,” they said.
The joint statement was issued by David Kaye, UN special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Michel Forst, UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders; and Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
Responding to the UN experts, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Rappler was a business operating in breach of the Constitution and its journalists had been neither blocked nor censored.
“(The) allegation that it’s about press freedom is fake news,” Roque said in a text message.
“It’s about avarice for money that violates the (Constitution) and the laws of the land. Let me know if any of the journalists of Rappler have been prevented from reporting, or if they’ve been censored.” (Reuters)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
