US senator calls for release of ‘women political prisoners’, including De Lima
MANILA, Philippines — United States Sen. Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey) on International Women’s Day called for the release of women around the world who are “wrongfully” imprisoned by their governments, including detained Philippine Sen. Leila de Lima.
“In the Philippines, Senator Leila de Lima, a brave champion of human rights, launched an investigation into extrajudicial executions that began shortly after President Duterte took office in 2016,” Menendez said in a statement dated March 8.
“As one of the only leaders bold enough to oppose President Duterte’s ‘war on drugs,’ she has faced prolonged arbitrary detention, according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International,” he added.
“President Duterte has sought to silence her courageous voice as she spoke out against widespread human rights violations, including thousands of extrajudicial executions of mostly poor and marginalized people,” he continued.
A fierce critic of the Duterte administration and its deadly anti-narcotic campaign, De Lima was arrested on Feb. 24, 2017 on what she called “trumped-up” drug charges that she said were part of a presidential vendetta.
The former justice secretary turned lawmaker launched a Senate probe into alleged unlawful killings by the police under Duterte’s war on drugs, which has left scores dead.
- Latest
- Trending
