The State Department released a one-sentence statement on Tuesday noting that the U.S. is "concerned" for the future of freedom of expression in the Philippines after a court found journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos guilty of "cyber libel."
Why it matters: The case, which Ressa and activists say is a politically motivated prosecution by the Philippines' government, has been monitored around the world because of its implications for press freedom in the increasingly authoritarian country.
- Ressa and Santos were sentenced to between six months to six years in prison Monday for publishing an article about a businessman with links to the government in 2012.
What they're saying: "The United States is concerned by the trial court’s verdict against journalists Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos and calls for resolution of the case in a way that reinforces the U.S. and Philippines’ long shared commitment to freedom of expression, including for members of the press," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in the statement.
Go deeper: Coronavirus is being used to suppress press freedoms globally
