In a resolution , the High Court’s First Division noted that Khan had already submitted her amicus curiae brief through lawyer Rodel A. Taton.

Khan is the UN special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Freedom of Opinion and Expression.

Visiting the country early last month, Khan had appealed to President Marcos to denounce “red tagging” that was a practice among certain government officials and agencies during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

She also called for the dismantling of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which has been accused of harassing activists, human rights advocates and progressive lawmakers, accusing them of membership to the New People’s Army and the Communist Party of the Philippines.

In its resolution, the SC First division permitted the filing of a brief “by way of special appearance” for Ressa by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute.

Ressa, chief executive officer of Rappler news online , and the outfit’s former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. have been convicted by the Regional Trial Court of cyber libel or violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.l

Facing a jail term ranging from six months to six years, the accused appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals but the RTC ruling was upheld.

The accused took their case to the High Court as they sought a reversal of the lower court rulings.

Khan, who also visited the SC during his stay in the Philippines, asked the Court to assign her as an amicus curiae in the case. She had `expressed concern that the law in the country lacks enough provisions that would adequately protect the right to freedom of expression as expressed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.