CIVICUS Monitor media release - Philippines added to human rights watchlist as repression of dissent intensifies
KARAPATAN Public Information
Dear friends,
CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists working to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, launched their new CIVICUS Monitor civic space watchlist where the Philippines has been included. This list draws attention to countries where there has been a decline in the respect of fundamental freedoms as protected by international law.
Karapatan secretary general and former Civicus board member Cristina Palabay said:
Civicus’ inclusion of the Philippines in its watchlist and classification of the civic space in the country as repressed affirm Karapatan’s assessment on the dire human rights situation of Filipinos, especially the poor. Civicus confirms our view that the climate of impunity persists through the infrastructure of impunity - the policies that disallow the full exercise of dissent, freedoms of expression, assembly and association, and the people’s right to information; the laws that legitimize the prevalence of militarist tools to maintain the status quo; the existence of a cruel and punitive penal system that imprisons the innocent and democracy fighters; the government bureaucracy as embodied by the NTF-ELCAC as the main fascist machinery.
We call on Filipinos to persist in denouncing the draconian policies of Marcos Jr. and his regime’s fascist attacks against the people. We enjoin the international community to stand in solidarity with Filipinos in demanding justice and accountability.
We hope you can reference the Civicus update and Karapatan’s reaction to the update in your news reports.
Thank you very much.
Karapatan Public Information Desk
PUBLIC INFORMATION DESK
publi...@karapatan.org
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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties. It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign. It was established in 1995.