We stand with Bestang and the fight for truth and justice
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan expresses its solidarity with indigenous rights defender Sarah ‘Bestang’ Dekdeken, the secretary-general of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, who continues to face state-backed attacks because of her activism.
We join human rights advocates in asserting that Bestang’s work as an activist is a shining example of her commitment to truth and accountability. She devoted her life championing the rights of the poor and indigenous peoples.
We support not just her pending legal battle but also the fight against the weaponization of laws and judicial processes to silence activists and development workers who are organizing in the grassroots amid the worsening economic and public health crisis.
Her case highlights how repressive laws are often used by those in power to undermine the people’s legitimate demands.
We enjoin the public to stand with Bestang in calling for the reversal of her cyber libel conviction, the decriminalization of libel, and the pursuit of accountability against state forces which conspired to criminalize her advocacy.
We ask friends, allies, and democracy-loving citizens to sign the petition expressing support for Bestang.
Stand with Bestang!
Stop the political persecution of human rights defenders!
Read and sign the petition below:
Originally published at https://medium.com on January 19, 2023.
