The CCBE urges the de facto authorities to reinstate the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association and allow all lawyers to practise law freely and without fear of persecution.
Les avocats, et en particulier les avocates, sont en grand danger. Le CCBE exhorte les autorités à rétablir l’Association indépendante du barreau afghan et à permettre à tous les avocats d’exercer librement et sans crainte de persécution.
#Afghanistan 🇦🇫 Lawyers, in particular women lawyers are in serious danger. The CCBE urges the de facto authorities to reinstate the Afghanistan Independent Bar Association and allow all #lawyers to practise law freely and without fear of persecution. ➡️https://t.co/g0qEWEo5Djpic.twitter.com/YlEF1soFxp
#Afghanistan Les #avocats, et en particulier les avocates, sont en grand danger. Le CCBE exhorte les autorités à rétablir l'Association indépendante du barreau afghan et à permettre à tous les avocats d'exercer librement et sans crainte de persécution. ➡️https://t.co/g0qEWEo5Djpic.twitter.com/GaT1Z17bQy
🔵 AUJOURD'HUI à la #HRC51 à partir de 10h00, heure de Genève :
– discussion sur les droits des femmes et des filles en #Afghanistan (suite) – rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur le #Nicaragua – déclarations des États membres de l'@ONU_frpic.twitter.com/yMISGAmQpA
Advance version of my initial report to the #HumanRightsCouncil has been uploaded here: https://t.co/fgiAKxjFYg I will present it to the Council on 12 Sept. Dari & Pashto versions will be available soon.
— UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett (@SR_Afghanistan) September 8, 2022
https://t.co/khH7V1rbPy To provide TRAUMA TREATMENT to Afghan women lawyers, judges and human rights defenders who fled their home country in fear of the Taliban.
Please donate ANY amount- they need $48k by September 13, or they will LOSE a pledge of £24,000 from another Fund
Nasrin Sotoudeh: Iranian lawyer sentenced to 38 yrs HER CRIME: Challenging the veiling laws Salma al-Shehab: Saudi activist sentenced to 34 yrs HER CRIME: Using @Twitter Afghan women: Sentenced to life in prison THEIR CRIME: Being a woman WHY IS THE INT'L COMMUNITY SILENT? pic.twitter.com/Y4nS2b6rsv
The deputy prosecutor of Ilagan, Isabela was killed in a gun attack in Conner, Apayao on Wednesday.
Victor Begtang Jr. was repairing his vehicle in a residential compound in Barangay Malama when an unidentified man opened fire at around 2:30 p.m., Lt. Carolyn Domyong, Conner police chief, said.
Witnesses said the gunman escaped on a motorcycle driven by his cohort who waited for him along the highway.
Begtang suffered four gunshot wounds in various parts of the body. He died while being treated at the Conner District Hospital.
Probers have yet to determine the motive for the killing.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-North Luzon chapter condemned the killing of Begtang, whom they described as a dedicated prosecutor in the province.
The IBP called on the police to immediately solve the case
There have been 101 violent attacks against Filipino lawyers (81) legal workers and paralegals {20) under the Duterte regime, July 1, 2016 to 26 June 2021. As a result:
64 lawyers have been killed, while 17 survived (10 attorneys, 3 judges, 4 prosecutors).
17 legal workers and human rights paralegals have been killed while 3 paralegals survived.
The Observatory has received information about a wave of arbitrary arrests targeting lawyers in Myanmar. According to the information received, between May 24 and June 10, 2021, the military junta’s security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained five lawyers who provided legal defense to protesters and other individuals arrested following the February 1 coup d’état. Four of the five lawyers have been charged with “incitement”, under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code [1].
On June 10, 2021, Nilar and Hpone Myat Thu, were arrested in the border town of Myawaddy, Kayin [Karen] State, while they were attempting to cross into Thailand. They appeared in court a day after their arrest and, at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, were being held at Myawaddy’s central police station. The next hearing in their case is scheduled for June 25, 2021. The “incitement” charges against the two stem from their defense of political prisoners, including Kayin State’s ousted Chief Minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint and Hpa-An Technical High School Principal Cho Yu Mon, who were arrested after the February 1 coup for taking part in peaceful anti-junta protests.
On June 2, 2021, Thet Htun Oo, a pro-bono lawyer and Central Executive Committee member of the Independent Lawyers’ Association of Myanmar, was arrested while in court inside Myitkyina Prison, Kachin State, where he was assisting individuals who had been detained under Article 505(a). The charges against him are not known at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal.
In the evening of May 27, 2021, Ayeyar Lin Htut was abducted from Hinthada District Court by SAC Terrorist Group [2] and charged with incitement under Article 505(a). At the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, she was being held in Hinthada Prison in Ayeyarwady [Irrawaddy] Region. Ayeyar Lin Htut was representing political prisoners arrested following the coup.
On May 24, 2021, Thein Hlaing Tun, who represented ousted Naypyidaw Mayor Myo Aung, was arrested while he tried to meet with his client at a special court in Naypyidaw. Thein Hlaing Tun was charged under Article 505(a).
The Observatory condemns the arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of lawyers, which is inconsistent with international human rights standards, including the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, [3] which guarantee the protection of lawyers in the course of their work and prohibit their prosecution in relation to cases they defend. The Observatory expresses grave concern over the high risk of torture, enforced disappearance, and summary execution the five lawyers are facing while in custody. The Observatory remains concerned by the ongoing actions by the military junta to curtail fundamental rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and to a fair trial.
🇲🇲#Myanmar: @OBS_defenders denounces wave of arrests of #lawyers who provided legal defense to protesters and other individuals arrested following the coup d’état.
#Watch: “Myanmar: State of Fear" by @AJ101East on campaign of terror in Myanmar & how surveillance tech from intl countries is strengthening junta’s ability to hunt civilians. Resources + funding must go into dismantling these systems – not funding them. https://t.co/pxHdCqk5gu
— Network for Human Rights Documentation – Burma (@NDBurma) June 17, 2021
"Desipte global news, detentions haven't stopped, the torture and killings haven’t stopped. Military is creating terror and fear so that the people will give up.
But you can see it daily, people are not giving up, and we will not give up."
"British lawyer Karim Khan inherits investigations from outgoing prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in unsettled areas, such as the Palestinian territories, Myanmar and Afghanistan."https://t.co/TIU8y5dMwi
— J. "Rabbit hole J.Cole" Coleman (@DemopJ) June 16, 2021
The Supreme Court (SC) has assigned a committee to evaluate cases of killings and threats against lawyers and judges.
In his Meet the Press event, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said they received numerous records involving attacks on members of the judiciary.
“Kailangan himayin ito upang maunawaan namin at saka lamang kami makapagbibigay ng action [We have to carefully study this and only then can we take action]. We will act on the results of those reports and recommendation within the jurisdiction of the judiciary,” Gesmundo added.
In March, the SC issued a rare statement condemning the killings of lawyers, judges, and prosecutors. Various groups, including lawyers’ organizations, urged the high court to act and address the rising number of attacks.
More than 60 lawyers, judges, and prosecutors have been killed under the Duterte administration.
The SC then ordered lower courts, law enforcement agencies, and public interest groups to submit “relevant information to shed light on the number and context of each and every threat or killing of a lawyer or judge within the past 10 years.”
Gesmundo said if the cases are outside the judiciary’s jurisdiction, they would endorse the results to appropriate government institutions “for them to address these issues.”
🇵🇭The Supreme Court of the Philippines has assigned a committee to evaluate cases of killings and threats against lawyers and judges. In his Meet the Press event, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said they received numerous records involving attacks on members of the judiciary.⚖️ https://t.co/AsycuWcuUDpic.twitter.com/QDG1FXftXY
The announcement of International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda that she is formally requesting an investigation into the crimes against humanity committed in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs is a long-awaited step towards justice. https://t.co/EX7k3hwtBs
A searing indictment of @UN_HRC's failure on the human rights situation in the Philippines.
"Instead of condemning these abuses, UNHRC has opted instead to provide technical cooperation and capacity-building to the same govt that denies the true scale and severity of the…" pic.twitter.com/jrGOdYJF1h
.@UN_HRC should launch own investigation. The Human Rights Council should course-correct & stand up for the victims instead of giving support to the govt that kills them: @singhp_p@HRW
In its request for the @IntlCrimCourt to open an investigation into “crimes against humanity” in the Philippines,the ICC prosecutor cited @HRW reports, one dating back to 2009 about the #DavaoDeathSquad that killed w/ impunity when Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
Last week, I was asked to speak before a webinar sponsored by the UP Portia Alumnae Association on my experiences as a human rights lawyer during martial law.
As many of you know, I began my career as a lawyer in the 1960s, trading the comforts and perks of being a corporate counsel in favor of being a lawyer for farmers, workers, student activists, and ordinary folks who would otherwise be deprived of legal representation because of their inability to afford the usual cost of legal services.
It was a difficult practice, especially for a lawyer newly-minted such as myself. It became even more difficult after Marcos declared martial law.
Yet despite the difficulties, which we faced, and the threats and harassment, which we endured, a few of us, a band of brothers were determined to pursue our convictions during those dark days.
We banded together and formed the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity, and Nationalism Inc. or MABINI. Our group, as I described in my speech, was “a response against the tide of injustice, abuse of power, and disregard for the rights of the people.”
The Marcos regime gained and consolidated power by sowing fear. Violence and intimidation were its main weapons. And for 34 years, it succeeded in silencing majority of the population. Yet our small group of human rights lawyers persevered, undeterred by the threats and actual acts of violence. It was this strength of conviction that helped us not only to endure the suffering but overcome the fear.
I shared this insight to the webinar participants. Lawyers are living in dangerous times. I had thought all along that the years of martial law were the most dangerous years for lawyers. Sadly, I was mistaken.
More lawyers have been insulted, bullied, threatened, and killed in the past five years than at any time in recent history.
But what disappoints and enrages many of our colleagues is the absence of outrage, even from our fellow lawyers. It is hard to believe that the acts of harassment and intimidation inflicted not only on the legal profession and the judiciary – for the violence has also claimed prosecutors and judges among its victims – but on the people as well are being disregarded or ignored. If the intent is to beat our profession into submission, the absence of a collective response may be seen as a sign that they have succeeded.
Motorbike-riding killers in over 5,500 murder cases are still at-large, according to police data obtained by Rappler
Thousands of killers on motorbikes remain at-large under the Duterte administration, data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) obtained by Rappler showed.
From 2016 to 2020, the PNP recorded a total of 7,065 murders committed with motorcycles, most of which, according to PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, were riding-in-tandem killings.
Of the number, only 1,467 are solved. Some 3,349 are still under investigation, while 2,249 were labeled as “cleared.”
This means killers in a total of 5,598 murder incidents are still roaming free.
The IBP National President Egon Cayosa comments on lawyer killings and gave his inputs during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on February 18, 2021. pic.twitter.com/Z45zxzBykS
— Integrated Bar of the Philippines (@IntegratedBarPH) February 22, 2021
🇵🇭The Philippines: DOJ and Supreme Court meet to examine alarming rise in killings of lawyers which have now reached 56 since start Presidency of Duterte. Data from the DOJ show that 21 judges and prosecutors were killed in 4 years of Duterte❗️🇵🇭 https://t.co/v14zogLXSF
Please join @nickopiyo at court tomorrow morning. Nic is expected to appear at the anti-corruption division of the high court along Mabua Road in Kololo for mention if his case at 9am. We know Nic to be innocent & the charges to be baseless so #Istandwithnicholasopiyo#Freedompic.twitter.com/OWZ9puCmU8
No one is above the law, and all Ugandan citizens, including Nicholas Opiyo @nickopiyo have the right to due process and a fair trial. The EU will continue to follow Opiyo’s case and continue to support Uganda’s progress, underpinned by democracy, human rights and rule of law https://t.co/QvNwVMCqsu
Every life and family impacted is precious. But this high number of killings is, in itself, a broader, institutional concern.
The killing of two unarmed civilians, Sonya and Frank Gregorio, that happened last December 20, has rightly met with widespread condemnation and ignited the debate about the need for police reform in the Philippines.
There are different views emerging in this public debate. Some see the killings as an isolated incident by a “bad cop” who needs to be prosecuted and removed from the police force. (READ: Timeline of Tarlac shooting: What we know so far)
Others point to lawlessness and lack of respect for the police, contributing to an “us versus them” mentality. Yet others emphasize a policing culture of addressing crime by resorting to violence and abuse of power.
[…]
In recent weeks, a number of killings – by unknown assailants, of individuals playing a role in protecting their communities – has been reported. The killing of two human rights activists in August, of a journalist in November, of two lawyers in Cebu in November and December, and of a doctor and her husband last December 16, are among the most recent such cases.
This impacts negatively on security and development.
[…]
The Human Rights Council resolution adopted by consensus on October 7 of this year, with the support of the Government of the Philippines and a large number of member states, has provided a basis for such cooperation.
Since the adoption of the Human Rights Council Resolution, the UN has actively engaged with civil society organizations, the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, and a range of different government actors to set the basis of an ambitious program.
However, we should agree that the success of technical cooperation greatly relies on the existence of an enabling environment, with strong commitment to change.
The killing of Sonya and Frank Gregorio impacts on all of us. Preventing such killings and ensuring accountability must be our foremost priority.
A lawyer in Cebu was shot dead on Thursday afternoon by unidentified gunmen, joining the list of now over 50 individuals in the legal profession killed in recent years.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu said Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Ole was gunned down in Looc, Danao City on broad daylight, flagging the rising number of lawyers being killed as “something that we cannot take just with a grain of salt.”
“We condemn the atrocities being cast against fellow lawyers and we must not allow this system of violence to persist in our midst,” IBP-Cebu said. “We have been nothing but cooperative with all investigations done by authorities. And we will continue to take this high route.”
Police in Danao have confirmed the death of Landero-Ole based on a report by The Freeman, with perpetrators still at large.
The incident follows the string of killings of lawyers Joey Luis Wee also in Cebu on November 23 and of Eric Jay Magcamit in Palawan on November 17.
No other details on Landero-Ole’s death have been made available so far, but the IBP has since renewed calls for reforms to put an end to the murder of lawyers, prosecutors and judges since the Duterte administration began in 2016.
And in less than a month, another lawyer was gunned down, Atty. Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Ole, in broad daylight by riding-in-tandem suspects in Danao City today, Thursday, December 17, 2020.
Atty. Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Ole was shot dead inside her pick-up truck in Camaligbato, Barangay Looc, Danao City at past 3 p.m. today, December 17, 2020. Atty. Landero-Ole is the 54th lawyer killed under the Duterte regime.#StopTheKillingspic.twitter.com/cR6WBNjxZR
— CSJP – Metro Manila #NoToRedTagging (@CSJPMetroManila) December 17, 2020
Integrated Bar of PH Cebu condemns killing of lawyer Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Ole in Looc, Danao City this afternoon. Urges lawyers to be ready always and protect themselves: Be your own bodyguard. | via @mikenavallopic.twitter.com/k1JSSjnjln
The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor said on Monday that there is “reasonable basis to believe” the Philippines has committed crimes against humanity in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called war on drugs operation.
Fatou Bensouda’s office, in its annual report, said those crimes included murder, torture, infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm. They took place between July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019.
The ICC prosecutor’s office has been examining the Philippines’ case since 2018, focusing in particular on allegations that Duterte and other government officials have actively promoted and encouraged the killing of suspected drug users and dealers, as well as claims that law enforcement officials and unidentified assailants have carried out thousands of unlawful killings in the Philippines.
A final decision on a formal ICC investigation could come in the first half of 2021, the report said, attributing the delays to the coronavirus pandemic.
Duterte, who assumed office in 2016, has promised a relentless war against drugs – an issue he campaigned on during the presidential election of that same year. On several occasions, the Philippine president had told police officers to “shoot and kill” drug suspects, saying in 2017 that “I will kill more if only to get rid of drugs”.
The ICC report noted that law enforcement officials were involved in the deaths of more than 5,300 people during their anti-drug crackdown.
It also said there were thousands of more killings by unidentified assailants, noting there were allegations these murders “were planned, directed, and or/coordinated”, if not actually committed by law enforcement officers themselves.
ICC withdrawal
According to the Philippine police, at least 5,552 people were killed during police operations between December 2019 and June 30, 2016, the day Duterte was sworn in as president. An earlier report published in June 2019, however, showed a death toll of 6,600. The police did not explain why the number was revised down.
Meanwhile, rights advocates say as many as 27,000 people were killed as of mid-2019 – including the victims killed by “unknown gunmen”, some of whom later turned out to be police officers.
Among those who were killed were more than a dozen town mayors and other local officials as well as lawyers and judges.
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![Human rights advocates say as many as 27,000 people were killed in the drug war as of mid-2019 - including the victims killed by 'unknown gunmen' [File: Bullit Marquez/AP]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/b388a4b9208f43bb82857dfc2b0cadce_18.jpeg?resize=770%2C513)
IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers 