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Groups hope UN rapporteur's visit pressures Marcos admin to address violations

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Pia Gutierrez and Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Media rights advocates commemorate the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day with a march at University of the Philippines, Diliman campus in Quezon City on May 3, 2023. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/news/01/16/20230503-worldpressfreedom-march-up-mt-10.jpg"/><figcaption>Media rights advocates commemorate the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day with a march at University of the Philippines, Diliman campus in Quezon City on May 3, 2023. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Media and human rights groups on Tuesday expressed hope that the upcoming visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression would pressure the Marcos administration to address human rights violations in the country.</p><p>Irene Khan will visit the Philippines from January 23 to February 2 and is expected to meet with government officials and talk to stakeholders.</p><p>Khan will &quot;examine the situation of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression in the country,&quot; according to the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner.</p><p>Cristina Palabay, secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan, said the world needs to know of the alleged violations.</p><p>She stressed that &quot;things have been worse on the ground&quot; not only because of injustice and impunity from the previous administration but also because of the persisting and &quot;worsening&quot; violations coupled with &quot;fiercer&quot; policies.</p><p>According to Paul Soriano, secretary general of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines National Capital Region Chapter, there have so far been 109 incidents of attacks and threats against press freedom under the Marcos administration.</p><p>The number is 47 percent higher compared to the same period under the Duterte government, Soriano said.</p><p>AlterMidya chairperson Raymund Villanueva meanwhile said they have submitted 40 reports to Khan’s office detailing the supposed curtailment of freedom of expression from media killings, trumped-up charges, violent dispersals, and prevention of rallies.</p><p>It would be an embarrassment, Villanueva said, if the Philippines disregarded Khan&#x27;s report and recommendations after her visit, especially since the government invited her.</p><p>&quot;Kung ipagpalagay natin na isa sa mga rekomendasyon ni Miss Irene Khan after her official visit ay sabihin na dapat huwag nang ulitin ng gobyerno, ng Kongreso, ‘yung mga denial ng franchise ng mga media organizations lalong-lalo na kung walang due process, dapat mahiya naman ang gobyernong ito,&quot; he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/16/24/groups-welcome-official-visit-of-un-rapporteur-on-freedom-of-opinion">Groups welcome official visit of UN Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion</a></li></ul><div><strong>VISIT NOT CONNECTED WITH ICC PROBE</strong></div><p>Presidential Task Force on Media Security Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez has clarified that Khan’s upcoming visit is not connected with the International Criminal Court&#x27;s investigation into the Duterte administration&#x27;s bloody war on drugs. </p><p>Nevertheless, Gutierrez said in a televised briefing that the visit is an opportunity to show that the Philippines strongly upholds human rights and freedom of the press.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/03/23/call-for-justice-remains-a-year-since-percy-lapid-slay">Family, colleagues call for &#x27;swift justice&#x27; a year since Percy Lapid slay</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/10/03/23/journalism-students-commit-to-press-freedom">UP journalism students commit to keep flame of press freedom alive</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Walang tinatago ang ating administrasyon patungkol sa pagtataguyod sa karapatang pantao at pamamahayag sa ating bansa, so tingin natin na wala tayong dapat ikatakot o ikapangangamba sa pagbisitang ito,&quot; he stressed.<br/> <br/>Gutierrez said the Presidential Task Force on Media Security has secured Khan&#x27;s request for dialogue with House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Justice Secretary Jesus &quot;Boying&quot; Remulla, and officials of the anti-insurgency task force and the National Security Cluster.</p><p>Khan will also meet with former Sen. Leila de Lima, who according to human rights groups had been detained for being critical of the Duterte administration and its policies. De Lima is now freed on bail.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/13/23/leila-de-lima-free-but-still-fighting">Leila de Lima free, but still fighting</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Dapat hindi ito maging kontrobersyal dahil noon pong pinadala niya ang kanyang komunikasyon na makausap si dating Senador Leila de Lima siya ay nakakulong pa noon. Pero ngayon siya ay malaya na, although temporarily so tingin natin hindi itong magiging isyu ito,&quot; Gutierrez said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2602383" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Groups hope that the upcoming visit of the UN rapporteur on freedom of expression will pressure the Marcos administration to address human rights violations.

Groups hope UN rapporteur's visit pressures Marcos admin to address violations

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Groups hope UN rapporteur's visit pressures Marcos admin to address violations

Pia Gutierrez and Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 16, 2024 05:31 PM PHT

Read More:

United Nations

Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression

press freedom

human rights violations

Irene Khan

International Criminal Court

ICC

human rights

Leila de Lima

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