Human rights organizations call for action against judicial harassment

23-08-2023

Lone de Chene

South East and Asia Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

Yesterday, on the 22nd of August 2023, several Human Rights organisations signed an expression of their solidarity with human rights defenders in the Philippines. The expression reads: “We support their continuing pursuit for the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of human rights. We strongly condemn the renewed judicial harassment faced by ten human rights defenders (HRDs) who were acquitted of perjury on 9 January 2023.”

Defenders previously faced trial for alleged perjury as retaliation for seeking legal protection for human rights advocates. A petition has been filed to review the court's favorable decision for the defenders, involving General Esperon and General Ano. This campaign targets individuals including Karapatan members and Judge Alcera. The misuse of the Anti-Terrorism Act to suppress HRDs is concerning, with 13 defenders in the Southern Tagalog region facing false charges under it. This approach, along with red-tagging and other harassment, undermines their vital work and violates their rights. These actions contradict the government's international human rights commitments.

The human rights groups involved, now call for action. They ask the Philippine government to cease all forms of intimidation and attacks against activists. The judicial harassment has to stop, they close of their statement. 

Sources and further readings:

FIDH (2023, August 22). Philippines: Human rights organisations condemn renewed judicial harassment against human rights defenders. International Federation for Human Rights. https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/philippines/philippines-human-rights-organisations-condemn-renewed-judicial