“Olympism stands for the preservation of human dignity, as stated in the Olympics Charter. Thus Olympism also means respect for human rights. It does not only mean excellence in sports.” said Dr. Aurora Corazon Parong, Amnesty International Philippines Section Director, in her welcoming remarks to start off the human rights cycling caravan dubbed Bike for Rights 2008: PadyaKarapatan para sa China.
Human rights in China continue to deteriorate despite promises for improvement of China’s human rights record before the Beijing Olympics this August 2008.
Amnesty International Philippines today sends petitions with 20,000 signatures to the Chinese government, as contribution to the millions of signatures that the Amnesty movement has collected over the year, to call for the Chinese authorities to grasp this unique opportunity to do something to uplift the human rights situation in their country.
Torture is abhorrent. Torture is illegal. Yet torture is inflicted on men, women and children in the Philippines and well over half the countries around the world. Despite the universal condemnation of torture, it is still being used openly and secretly using national and international security from acts of terror as justifications for such acts. It is used to extract confession, to interrogate, to punish or to intimidate. While governments condemn terrorist acts, it is also evident that acts of terror are happening inside detention centers and prison cells, on city streets and in remote villages. The cruelty of torturers kills, maims, and leave scars on the body and mind that last a lifetime. The victims of torture are not just people in the hands of the torturers. Friends, families and the wider community all suffer. Torture even damages and distorts and the hopes of future generations.
(Cagayan De Oro) During the 1990s a series of formal and informal negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) led to agreements on the principles and framework for advancing a peace process. In an important step forward in 1998, as the first of a four stage agenda, both sides concluded and signed a Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). A decade later, Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh) is calling for a renewal of commitments to CARHRIHL.
(London) Amnesty International today challenged world leaders to apologize for six decades of human rights failure and re-commit themselves to deliver concrete improvements.
One hundred days before the opening of the Beijing Olympics in August, Amnesty International (AI) members around the world gathered to remind the Chinese government of the commitment they made during the bidding process for the Olympics that the human rights situation in China would improve. Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh) called upon the Chinese authorities that while the Olympic Torch, symbolizing hope and courage, is being carried on to different nations, their government should also carry on with their commitment to take positive steps in order to provide a human rights future for China.
Bago dumating ang Marso 8, Araw ng Kababaihan, nanawagan ang Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh) sa gobyerno ng Pilipinas ng aksyon upang matigil and karahasan sa paaralan lalo na sa mga batang babaeng estudyante. Ito ay upang maseguro ang karapatan sa edukasyon ng bawat tao, lalo na ang kababaihan na karaniwang biktima ng karahasan.
Amnesty International Philippines (AIPh) welcomes the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the right to freedom of opinion and expression enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) through its decision on the airing of “Hello Garci” tapes. This is one of the good things that happened in our country last week, though seemingly unnoticed, amidst the allegations of big time and high level corruption in the National Broadband Network deal with ZTE and the rigging of the May 2004 elections.
Dear Editor,
Amnesty International (AI) raised concerns over shortcomings of legislation to prevent arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention, political killings and impunity for human rights violations, unfair trials, and torture and ill-treatment, through a submission to the United Nations for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines in April 2008. This document was also submitted to the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PCHR) during its consultation on the UPR with civil society organizations held in Malacanang on 31 January 2008 where Amnesty International participated.
Amnesty International (AI) raised concerns over shortcomings of legislation to prevent arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention, political killings and impunity for human rights violations, unfair trials, and torture and ill-treatment, through a submission to the United Nations for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines in April 2008. This document was also submitted to the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PCHR) during its consultation on the UPR with civil society organizations held in Malacanang on 31 January 2008 where Amnesty International participated.