Human Rights Group asks German Parliamentarians to speak up for the safety of Cocoy Tulawie
The German-based Action Network Human Rights –Philippines (AMP) commemorates the first anniversary of the arrest of Human Rights Defender Cocoy Tulawie by asking President Aquino and German Parliamentarians to spare no effort to protect the life and health of this human rights activist.
The well-known Philippine human rights defender, who has been advocating human rights in Sulu for many years, was arrested one year ago, on January 13, 2012.
He is accused of having prepared an attempt on the life of Sakur Tan, Governor of the Province of Sulu, in 2009. Together with many national and international partners, the Action Network for Human Rights in the Philippines is convinced that the accusations against Mr. Tulawie have been made up in order to silence this activist.
„We have information, that all witness statements, on which the indictment is based, are forced and have in the meantime been withdrawn. Due to his work as human rights activist, Mr. Tulawie had already been massively threatened in Sulu, so that he was forced to hide away until his arrest”, explains Maike Grabowski, the coordinator AMP.
In the wake of the attempted relocation of his process to Manila by Governor Tan, Mr. Tulawie was again threatened with death. “According to numerous reports, imprisoned violent criminals have already been ordered to murder Mr. Tulawie upon his arrival at the prison of Bicutan. Therefore, it must be feared that Mr. Tulawie’s life is in danger, should he be transferred to the prison of Bicutan” says Jochen Motte, chair of AMP.
Therefore the German human rights and development agencies of the Action Network sent letters to several German Parliamentarians asking them to advocate for the safety of Mr. Tulawie and support the case to convince the Philippine government to act in compliance with the UN Declaration of Human Rights Defenders.
The Action Network Human Rights – Philippines advocates the sustainable improvement of the human rights situation in the Philippines. Members are: Amnesty International, Bread for the World – Church Development Service, Misereor, Missio Munich, philippinenbüro e.V. and the United Evangelical Mission (UEM).