In the highly collaborative world of modern investigative reporting, it hurts everyone when a publication can no longer report and write freely. Rappler has been a tireless voice against corruption, and any restrictions on it are a problem for all of us.
“The politically motivated prosecution of Maria Ressa is deeply concerning to investigative reporters around the globe,” said Gerard Ryle, director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). “The antidote to coercion is journalistic collaboration.”
To meet this challenge, a group of investigative reporting networks and media outlets have partnered to help Rappler journalists continue their reporting, and to amplify their findings.
“Journalists who expose corruption face both an incredible level of personal risk and responsibility to the public,” said Paul Radu of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). “Far and away, our greatest strength as investigative reporters comes from our collaborative models and partnerships with independent media around the world.”
The group includes OCCRP, ICIJ, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), Confluence Media, Finance Uncovered, Forbidden Stories, The Guardian, Knack, the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP), Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and Swedish Television (SVT). We encourage other media organizations to join us in this effort.
Working with Rappler’s reporters, the group will look into international angles of important stories originating from the Philippines. Rappler staff will have access to databases, research tools, and journalists from all these partner organizations to help them in their work.
The conviction of Ressa, along with researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos, is a grave concern for democracy and media worldwide. As Ressa says, “An attack on one is an attack on all.” But the converse also applies: when journalists in one part of the world are under pressure, the most effective way to help them is for journalists in other parts of the world to offer support.
We have seen repeatedly that this model of collaborative, cross-border journalism works. It is also one of the best ways to help independent reporting and help media outlets that are under threat. The impact we have together as investigative reporters is much larger than any one organization.
If you are a news organization interested in joining this group, please contact Drew Sullivan at drew@occrp.org.
Participating Media
Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ)
Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística (CLIP)
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
