Join Notre Dame law professor and international human rights attorney Diane Desierto as she discusses Nobel Peace Prize winning-journalist Maria Ressa’s memoir, “How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future.”
Desierto, also a professor of global affairs, is representing Ressa before the Philippine Supreme Court to appeal a cyberlibel conviction that is globally regarded as politically motivated.
Ressa, a Filipino and American citizen, is a former CNN reporter and founder of the news organization Rappler. She won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for exposing the authoritarian regime of former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte as well as for fighting disinformation, fake news, and attempts to silence the free press.
In what is widely seen as retaliation, the Philippine government utilized the legal system to accuse her of a multitude crimes. Ressa is currently found guilty of cyberlibel and faces years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
The book discussion is held in partnership with the St. Joseph County Public Library and serves as a preview to an in-person appearance by Ressa on March 21 at Notre Dame. Ressa will deliver the keynote address for the Liu Institute's Asia Leadership Forum at 4 p.m. at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Desierto will moderate a discussion after the lecture.
The event is free and open to the public, and tickets will be available soon at performingarts.nd.edu.
Originally published at asia.nd.edu.