Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa cleared by court of tax evasion

Maria Ressa: Maria Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside a Russian journalist in 2021, is head of Rappler.

Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and her news site Rappler were acquitted by a court of tax evasion charges on Wednesday, a judge said, handing Ressa a victory in a case the veteran journalist has described as part of a pattern of harassment.

Maria Ressa: Philippine Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa gestures. (AFP)

Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside a Russian journalist in 2021, is head of Rappler, which earned a reputation for its in-depth reporting and tough scrutiny of former President Rodrigo Duterte.