Philippines: Arrest of human rights defenders
Event- Country
- Philippines
- Initial Date
- Oct 27, 2017
- Event Description
We condemn the arrest of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR) staff and lay worker Julito Otacan, and five other Banwaon human rights defenders (HRDs), on Oct. 27 in Balit, San Luis, Agusan del Sur. Otacan is a field worker under the Protect and Promote Indigenous Human Rights in the Philippines, a project funded by the European Union and implemented by the RMP-NMR and Relief International. Otacan, in his work under the project, had been going around the Banwaon communities in Agusan del Sur, to organize and facilitate the training of community members in their capacity as HRDs. Under martial law, attacks against HRDs had been heightened, with community organizers and legitimate community meetings put under surveillance of state forces. We are demanding their immediate release and for the government to ensure their protection while they are doing their legitimate work for indigenous peoples' rights.
- Impact of Event
- 6
- Gender of HRD
- Man
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of Religion and Belief
- Right to work
- HRD
- Freedom of religion/belief activist
- Indigenous peoples' rights defender
- Perpetrator-State
- Armed forces/ Military
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 8.020163499999995
Longitude: 124.6856509
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 27 October 2017. Julito Otacan, Indigenous Human Rights activists, and five other Banwaon human rights defenders (HRDs) were arrested in Northern Mindanao Region, Philippines.