“Rights are not won through silence, through fence sitting and inaction. Rights are won and claimed through difficult, arduous, beautiful, creative and vibrant struggle.”
Yearender 2020 | Rights activists, truth-tellers living in precarious times
Tags: attacks on human rights defenders
UN rights body reso on PH falls short of search for justice – victims’ kin
Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), said the new resolution is not a magic wand that can erase the human rights violations and the accountability that those concerned will face.
UN report reveals rise in reprisals versus rights victims, defenders
“Some of these communications to the UN were thought to be private, exposing the degree of surveillance and cracks in digital security that activists and journalists face,” the report revealed.
SC urged anew to grant protection to human rights defenders
Just days before and after the murder of Alvarez, several members of Karapatan are receiving death threats, warning that they are next if they do not stop human rights work.
UN experts call for independent probe on killings of rights defenders
“We are saddened and appalled by the ongoing violence and threats against human rights defenders in the Philippines, including the killing of two human rights defenders over the past two weeks.” — UN spokesperson
State-perpetrated killings must stop
Duterte publicly labeled the communists as the number one threat to national security in his speech on June 22. He also declared communists as terrorists on July 8. Are these not treated as orders from the Armed Forces of the Philippines commander-in-chief? Are these statements aiming to justify the attacks on so-called communist-terrorists?
Cheerful and caring, Zara Alvarez was an activist who never backed down
Zara, who loved the sea, who loved to eat seafood and their local rice cake dipped in chocolate sauce, who worked tirelessly and selflessly, was murdered in one rainy evening. Yet, her fire burns eternal.
Friends, colleagues demand justice for ‘tireless and brave’ activist, Zara Alvarez
Amid the pandemic, Zara Alvarez has been coordinating and conducting relief operations as part of a community health program. This despite repeated threats to her life and safety.
Judge junks motion filed by lawyers of Tacloban journalist, 2 others
“Our call to drop all charges against Frenchie Mae and to immediately release her is now more urgent than ever.”
Debunking government’s defense of the anti-terror bill
Who have been declared “communist-terrorists” by state security forces and the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict? Practically all sectoral organizations advocating for reforms and genuine change. They did not spread terror or cause panic among the public but called on the government to act on legitimate demands of ordinary citizens.
What the anti-terror bill means to ordinary citizens
Farmers, indigenous peoples and teachers have been tagged as terrorists and subjected to various forms of attack since Duterte assumed office. The Anti-Terror Bill, if enacted into law, would only escalate what they describe as “state terror” and would target ordinary citizens for merely exercising their constitutional rights.