The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) decried Friday the alleged cruelty of authorities on detained activist Reina Mae Nasino who remained cuff during her daughter baby River’s wake and burial.
“The CHR is deeply concerned with how government authorities are handling the case of human rights worker Nasino,” CHR spokesperson lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
Nasino gave birth to the child while in jail, and the court refused her request to visit her daughter twice until baby River died on October 9.
According to the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders or the Bangkok Rules, “decisions to allow children to stay with their mothers in prison shall be based on the best interest of the children.” However, until the last moment, three-month-old baby River was kept away from her mother,” de Guia said.
“As duty-bearers, we would have expected officers of the government to have put in mind the best interest of the child. Even in detention, persons deprived of liberty should not be subjected to any cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and that it remains to be a State obligation to respect their inherent dignity and value as human beings, in line with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,” she added.
CHR denounces cruelty on political detainee Nasino
Reina Mae, a 23-year-old activist, was arrested for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
However, CHR said that the authorities should remember that Nasino is still presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.
On Friday, Senator Risa Hontiveros also appealed to the government to exercise compassion and Casino to bid a decent farewell to her Baby River.
“The real indicator of who we are as a nation is if we can still offer even our worst critics compassion. Ibigay natin ang huling pagpapaalam sa mag-ina nang maayos,” Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women, said in a statement.