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Release Philippines Senator Leila de Lima Now!

Philippines Senator Leila de Lima has been a vocal critic of the human rights violations that have been committed in the so-called ‘war on drugs’ waged since President Duterte took power in June 2016.

Shortly after President Duterte took office on June 30, 2016, Senator de Lima voiced her concern regarding the increasing number of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug offenders. Following this, the President and other state officials began a campaign of harassment and intimidation against her.

Senator Leila de Lima has been imprisoned since February 24, 2017. Amnesty International believes that the charges against the Senator are politically motivated, and calls on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the Senator and drop all charges against her.

Tell the Secretary of Justice to immediately release Senator Leila de Lima and drop all charges against her.

⬇ Make Your Voice Heard ⬇

Secretary of Justice

Menardo

Guevarra

Department of Justice

Dear Secretary of Justice Guevarra,
 
I am dismayed by the continued detention of Senator Leila de Lima, arrested on February 24, 2017 on drug related charges. I strongly urge the Philippines authorities to drop all charges against Senator de Lima and immediately and unconditionally release her.
 
Over one year ago, the authorities arrested and detained de Lima on drug-related charges under the Dangerous Drugs Act 2012. De Lima faces three charges of conspiracy to trade drugs, a non-bailable offense. Prosecutors claimed that de Lima had connections to drug syndicates and allowed the proliferation of drugs in the National Bilibid Prison. However, I am concerned that so far there has been no evidence on record to sustain such allegations, and prosecutors continue to adjust the charges against her.
 
I am concerned that the charges against Senator de Lima stem from her vocal criticism of President Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’, which has resulted in the extrajudicial execution of thousands of suspected drug offenders. After the Senator opened a Senate inquiry into unlawful killings in the anti-drug campaign, the President and other officials unleashed a series of criminal accusations and offensive remarks against Senator de Lima, often based on her gender. Even before President Duterte took office in 2016, he and de Lima had clashed over Duterte’s alleged involvement in human rights violations.
 
To date, de Lima remains at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame. I remain concerned about her detention conditions. Private correspondence to her is randomly inspected and subject to confiscation, and she also faces arbitrary limitations, such as denial of visits, and delays in court proceedings.
 
Amnesty International considers the targeting of Senator de Lima by the authorities a blatant attempt to silence one of the most prominent critics of the violent “war on drugs” and bar her from participating in public life. The organization considers Senator de Lima a prisoner of conscience detained solely for her criticism of the government and other political beliefs, as well as for peacefully defending human rights.
 
In light of the above, I am calling on you, as Secretary of Justice, to:
 
• Drop all charges against Senator de Lima and release her immediately and unconditionally;
 
• Ensure that, while in detention, Senator de Lima is held in humane conditions and that arbitrary restrictions, such as denial of visits, are lifted, and remove the arbitrary restrictions imposed on her to ensure that she can discharge fully her legislative mandate especially as Chairperson of the Committee on Social Justice;
 
• Investigate threats, harassment and intimidation of political opponents, activists, independent media, human rights defenders and others who have criticised the government’s anti-drug war and ensure they are able to carry out their work without fear of reprisals; and
 
• Ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all drug-related killings, particularly where law enforcement officials have been implicated.