Rappler has had in order to fight for survival since Duterte’s government accused it of violating a constitutional prohibit on foreign ownership in securing financing, as well as tax forestalling.
They have also been accused of cyber libel — a new criminal law introduced in 2012, exactly the same year Rappler started.
Duterte provides attacked the website simply by name, calling it a “fake information outlet”, over a story about one of their closest aides.
Ressa, who is the United States citizen, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize final October for their initiatives to “safeguard independence of expression”.
Ressa is fighting at least seven court cases, including an appeal against the conviction in a cyber libel case, for which she is on bail and faces as much as six years in prison.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son of the Philippines’ former dictator who have presided over wide-spread human rights abuses and corruption, succeeds Duterte on Thursday.
Active supporters and workers fear that Marcos Jr’s presidency could worsen human rights and freedom of speech in the country.
Read more on: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/rappler-philippines-news-site-ordered-shut-down-2776351