WHEN governments try to silence human rights defenders, they do so either by penalizing their activities or, in most instances, by labeling them as obstacles to law enforcement.
Amnesty International Philippines is appalled at President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech which cited that the work done by human rights defenders only help the drug problem proliferate.
This pronouncement is erroneous, furthermore adding that he will include human rights defenders during the “harvest,” referring to the number of individuals with drug offenses to be killed, is not only damaging but in itself is inciting hate towards anyone who expresses dissent on his war against drugs.
Amnesty International Philippines emphasizes that these extremely polemical attacks on human rights defenders deliberately give the public inaccurate information on human rights work.
International human rights law states the government obligations to refrain from acts that are counter-progressive to promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.
In many parts of the world, human rights defenders risk their safety and their very lives to monitor and challenge human rights violations and abuses.
Defenders face all kinds of risks as it is--from campaigns of intimidation and misinformation, to fabricated criminal charges, forced disappearance, imprisonment, torture and murder.
The United Nations adopted the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in 1998 which recognizes the importance and legitimacy of human rights defenders. The Philippines is a signatory to this declaration.
Amnesty International believes that the government’s support to the rights of human rights defenders is one of the most important ways it can ensure human rights for all.
Without human rights defenders, injustices go unchallenged, the most marginalized and vulnerable people in our societies will not have a say, people have little protection from abusers of power and governments and businesses can act with impunity. -Amnesty International Philippines
