PUBLICAI Index: ASA 35/003/2001

20 April 2001

Further information on UA 308/00 (ASA 35/09/00, 5 October 2000) - Fear of torture / incommunicado detention

PHILIPPINESBinajar Hussein

Alber Ulavedes

Nasser Lalil

Radzmil Salahi

Radjae Alvares

Nur Arabani

Salih Salahi

Alnasir Alih Parijal

Mobin Sappayani

Jalton Ahman

Five of the ten detainees arrested by the Philippine armed forces in September 2000 have been released. The others are no longer held incommunicado.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights (PCHR) has informed Amnesty International that five of the detainees were released without charge. PCHR staff have been able to interview those remaining in detention, including three minors aged between 15 and 17 years old, after initially being denied access. The PCHR have referred the detainees to the local Public Attorney’s Office for legal assistance, and have recommended that the minors be transferred into the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

AI has no information about the detainees’ state of health or whether they were subjected to torture.

No further action is requested from the UA network. Thank you to all those who sent letters.