International media groups, personalities hit arrest of Maria Ressa

International media groups and personalities added their voice to the outcry against the arrest of Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa.

Below are their tweets.

let’s be clear: this very serious escalation is harassment of media inconsistent w #Philippines obligations to promote & protect freedom of expression—>Rappler CEO @mariaressa arrested for cyber libel https://t.co/TnzPeGcFzo via @rapplerdotcom

— David Kaye (@davidakaye) February 13, 2019

You know a government is desperate when they arrest a journalist.

President Duterte: FREE @mariaressa NOW.@UNESCO@pressfreedom#MariaRessa#PressFreedom https://t.co/Ot4g3v6s34

— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) February 13, 2019

And another terrible nail in the coffin. #Philippines Maria, I am thinking of you. You can count on me. You can count on us. #pressfreedom https://t.co/aUbJfV1QsW

— Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) February 13, 2019

Woke up to bad news — @ICFJKnight Award winner @mariaressa has been arrested in the Philippines. No way this will silence her or @rapplerdotcom https://t.co/xEkWY4WeGU

— Patrick Butler (@pbutler50) February 13, 2019

Outraged by ⁦today’s arrest of @mariaressa⁩. She must be released immediately. RT if you believe in #PressFreedom. ⁦⁦@rapplerdotcom⁩ https://t.co/ZYY3h5R2f3

— Kathleen Carroll (@kathleencarrll) February 13, 2019

Maria Ressa is an outstanding journalist – her arrest shows the way free journalism is under threat https://t.co/797pcKAVSy

— Diogo Q Andrade (@dqandrade) February 13, 2019

Maria Ressa is a hero of fact-based journalism. Philippine President Duterte is determined to silence her https://t.co/bTwzl4hnTw

— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) February 13, 2019

The couldn’t give her bail? She’s not a criminal — NBI detains journalist Maria Ressa for the night https://t.co/NVIwQ11hGC via @rapplerdotcom

— Robert Mahoney (@RobertMMahoney) February 13, 2019

IFEX strongly supports @MariaRessa, the CEO of independent #Philippines news website @Rappler, who was arrested earlier today on trumped-up libel charges. Press freedom advocates across the globe, including our members @CMFR and @SEAPA, are watching closely. #DefendPressFreedom https://t.co/RNs5islY9v

— IFEX (@IFEX) February 13, 2019

[#Philippines] “The issuance of the arrest warrant and the entering of charges against @mariaressa should settle any remaining doubt that Duterte’s admin will stop at nothing to keep a free and inquisitive media out of its way.” #DefendPressFreedomhttps://t.co/RhfcKb8jAL

— SEAPA (@seapa) February 13, 2019

We call on Philippine authorities to immediately release #MariaRessa, drop this spurious cyber libel charge, and cease and desist this campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing @rapplerdotcom. #Philippines https://t.co/MCzksEvUG5

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) February 13, 2019

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa has been arrested over an accusation of “cyber-libel” for an article she published in 2012. This is an affront to freedom of expression, and the charges should be dropped immediately. https://t.co/DCjdTei4Kn

— PEN America (@PENamerican) February 13, 2019

#Philippines: A arrest warrant was just served against famous journalist @mariaressa. RSF firmly condemns authorities harassment against her and the media @rapplerdotcom

— RSF (@RSF_inter) February 13, 2019

We call on Philippine authorities to immediately release @MariaRessa, our 2018 @ICFJKnight Award winner, and to drop all charges against her. We stand with her and her journalists @Rapplerdotcom. #holdtheline https://t.co/Pbn9EPUz2R https://t.co/fF5G7u8Rfz

— ICFJ (@ICFJ) February 13, 2019

The arrest of @mariaressa of @rapplerdotcom is an outrageous attempt by #Philippines government to silence a news organization that has been courageously investigating corruption and human rights violations in the country.

IPI statement: https://t.co/lqRaR1xnZQ

— IPI (@globalfreemedia) February 13, 2019

#Alert: Journalist @mariaressa has been arrested for “cyber libel” in the #Philippines. This is is a shameless act of persecution by a bully government! All our support to Maria, the @nujp and @rapplerdotcom @ifjasiapacific #JournalismIsNotACrime https://t.co/FN5zBMus2B pic.twitter.com/liLSIaRwms

— IFJ (@IFJGlobal) February 13, 2019

At the UP Fair where Ressa is set to talk on press freedom on the night of her arrest, students and the audience expressed their support for Maria Ressa.

LOOK: At the #UPFair2019 where Rappler CEO and executive editor @mariaressa is set to talk, LED screens at the stage show the words JUSTICE FOR MARIA RESSA and #DefendPressFreedom. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/3j6ZxZf7Tu

— Kurt Adrian (@KurtAdrianDP) February 13, 2019

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines led the lighting of phones in solidarity with Ressa and in condemnation of her arrest.

WATCH: Thousands of people light up their phones to urge other individuals to #DefendPressFreedom. This part of #UPFair2019 is part of the action of solidarity for Maria Ressa and Rappler. | via @KurtAdrianDP pic.twitter.com/0UeUltmmld

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) February 13, 2019

Maria Ressa trended on Twitter worldwide at the time of her arrest around 5pm and, with  #DefendPressFreedom, became trending topics on Twitter in the Philippines from the time of her arrest  until midnight. Filipino journalists also used the call #HoldtheLine.

The cyber libel charge was the latest in a string of cases filed by the government against Rappler and Ressa since last year.

Aside from cyber libel, Rappler and Ressa were slapped with tax evasion charges earlier.

A year ago, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoked Rappler’s incorporation papers, citing its alleged violation of the constitutional restriction on foreign ownership of mass media, which Rappler has already denied.

Rappler said that the latest attempt to intimidate them will not succeed.

Rappler statement on Maria Ressa’s arrest: ‘We will continue to tell the truth’ #DefendPressFreedom

READ FULL STATEMENT HERE: https://t.co/UwUI20pwei pic.twitter.com/mCdvnykfDn

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) February 13, 2019

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