UN official seeks protection for Callamard amid threats

MANILA, Philippines — Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, one of the top United Nations officials for human rights, sought  for protection for his staff, including Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial Executions Agnes Callamard, who was subject to smear and hate campaigns in the Philippines.

In a speech before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Zeid said it is the UN's "responsibility to do all we can to protect" Callamard and other special procedures officers who were targets of "disgraceful incidents of personal threats and insults."

Zeid said that it was government officials that led the intimidation and reprisals against Callamard, Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee and Special Rapporteur on Iran Asma Jilani Jahangir.

Rapporteurs are independent experts considered as fact finders who are not officially employed by the UN. Though appointed by the Human Rights Council, Callamard and other special rapporteurs do not receive salaries from the international body.

"When government or other officials intimidate, arrest or harm these individuals, they are attacking a fundamental element of the work of this council and the UN, and it is our responsibility to do all we can to protect them," Zeid said in his speech on Tuesday.

Callamard, he said, was specifically subject to such reprisals in the context of discussions on the Philippines.

While Zeid did not specifically mention Rodrigo Duterte, the president and his officials publicly criticized Callamard when she made an unofficial visit to Manila last month to attend a drug policy forum at the University of the Philippines.

Then Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who became Duterte's pick for the top diplomat post, also took aim at Callamard before the UN body that appointed her, questioning her credibility and qualifications to look into cases of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Callamard has been outspoken, usually through her Twitter account, against killings in the Philippines done in the banner campaign against illegal drugs launched by Duterte.

In this May 2017 file photo, Special Rapporteur for Extrajudicial Executions Agnes Callamard asks a question at a drug policy forum at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. Philstar.com/Efigenio Toledo IV

The Philippine government, meanwhile, has set conditions on her visit to the Philippines despite it being a periodic mission for designated rapporteurs on human rights.

Among the conditions for her visit was to inspect only areas allowed by the government and appear in a public debate with Duterte where he would be allowed to ask her questions. Callamard, however, stood her ground and noted that findings of the investigation should remain confidential.

"The Philippines has accepted three visits in the past five years but 23 other requests are pending," Zeid said.

In September, Zeid also expressed his alarm before the UN Human Rights Council over the refusal of governments to grant access to his staff. — Camille Diola