Covington Pro Bono Client Maria Ressa Awarded 2021 Nobel Peace Prize
October 11, 2021
WASHINGTON—Covington welcomed the news that the Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace” and “their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia.”
Ms. Ressa is the first national of the Philippines to win the Prize, and the Committee highlighted the importance of her work, stating that: “Maria Ressa uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines. In 2012, she co-founded Rappler, a digital media company for investigative journalism, which she still heads. As a journalist and Rappler’s CEO, Ressa has shown herself to be a fearless defender of freedom of expression. Rappler has focused critical attention on the Duterte regime’s controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign. The number of deaths is so high that the campaign resembles a war waged against the country’s own population. Ms. Ressa and Rappler have also documented how social media is being used to spread fake news, harass opponents and manipulate public discourse.”
"The Nobel Committee's action is wonderful news for Ms. Ressa -- and for the cause of journalistic freedom at a time when media rights are under increased threat around the world,” said Peter Lichtenbaum, partner at Covington and one of Maria’s lawyers. “It has been an honor and a privilege for all of us at Covington to support her work. We hope that the Nobel award heralds the dawning of a new day in the Philippines, in which the criminal charges against her are dropped, and she and other journalists are permitted to carry on their work free of government intimidation.”
Responding to the Nobel Peace Prize 2021 award, Ms. Ressa said: “I am honoured that the Norwegian Nobel Committee has honoured me and my fellow journalist Dmitry Muratov in this way. The relentless campaign of harassment and intimidation against me in the Philippines is a stark example of a global trend: journalists and freedom of the press facing increasingly adverse conditions. I hope today’s Nobel Peace Prize 2021 award will remind the authorities in the Philippines, Russia and around the world of the need to respect journalists and journalism. Independent journalism holding power to account has never been so important.”
The international legal team representing Ms. Ressa reiterates its call for all outstanding cases against Maria Ressa and Rappler to be dropped immediately.
A team of Covington lawyers including Peter Lichtenbaum, Stephen Rademaker, Rani Gupta, and Lisa Peets work alongside lead international counsel Amal Clooney and Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC of Doughty Street Chambers, leading a team comprising fellow barristers Can Yeginsu and Claire Overman, and alongside Ms. Ressa’s counsel team in Manila.
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