Malaga, 27th January 2007
The European Democratic Lawyers have been informed of the dramatic situation of lawyers and judges in the Philippines during their General Assembly in Malaga on Saturday, the 27th of January 2007.
Since the year 2001, 17 lawyers and 11 judges have been murdered. Most of them were engaged in the fight for the respect of Human Rights. Today, many other live under threat.
The EDL demand of the government of the Philippines and of national and international institutions to:
1. Publicly condemn the murders and threats in resolute terms.
2. Take action immediately to protect the security of lawyers, judges and all those engaged in support of Human Rights.
3. The demanded measures imply pursuing the presumed authors, even if the forces of state security were involved
4. Constitute and give support to an independent commission, not controlled by the government, in charge of investigating the murders, threats and harassments. The recommendations of this commission should be followed.
5. Take all necessary measures to end the culture of impunity and to restore the confidence of the people in the functioning of a constitutional state and the rule of law.