Statement by Media Freedom Coalition on situation in the Philippines

July 9, 2020

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition today issued the following statement:

“We are concerned by the increasing restrictions on freedom of the press in the Philippines, including the various charges against Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos, as well as the issue of renewal for the franchise of ABS-CBN.

“Journalists and other media workers in the country are facing growing restrictions on the ability to do their work.

“We encourage the Philippine authorities to investigate reports of harassment and crimes against journalists and other media workers.

“Media freedom, both online and off-line, is an essential part of democracy, and journalists everywhere should be able to report freely and without fear of reprisal. We remain committed to working with the Philippines to ensure that the rule of law and the protection of a free press are upheld.”

Signed:

• Canada
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Luxembourg
• The Netherlands
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom