Human Rights Online Philippines

#FREEOURDEFENDERS! Free all political prisoners!

Government keeps denying the existence of political prisoners. We need to assert the truth! Join us in a call to #FREEOURDEFENDERS! Free all political prisoners!

In previous statement, PNoy’s spokesperson Lacierda declared that ‘We have no political prisoners.’ Then the Department of Justice (DOJ) failed to deliver Government’s commitment to look into the plight of all victims of political incarceration as a result of the hunger strike more than one year ago. There’s unconfirmed information that the existing mechanism for the release of alleged political offenders (PCBREP) is to be dissolved by the government. If this information is true then the Aquino Government has no intention to release political prisoners through executive action.

While the general public and even most advocates are not aware of the situation and continuing violation of political incarceration and criminalization of political offense, these violations are used to attack freedom of belief and even human rights defenders.

The #FREEOURDEFENDERS campaign refers to detained human rights defenders and defenders of peoples’ issues and struggles or Political Prisoners as we call them.

The public should be informed about cases like Juanito “Nitoy” Itaas, a long-held political prisoner and Cocoy Tulawie, detained human rights defender among many others. Both are working for the defense of peoples’ issues and human rights. Accused with trumped up criminal charges, they are among the more than 300 victims of political incarceration languishing in jails nationwide.

The #FREEOURDEFENDERS campaign demands that the PNoy Government must:
1. Free all political prisoners
2. Look into the plight of victims of political incarceration
3. Protect human rights defenders
4. Respect freedom of political belief, freedom of expression, opinion and association
5. Stop criminalization of political offense

They are jailed for our struggles… we must claim their freedom now!

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