The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), the largest organization of democratic lawyers from over 80 countries, Sunday expressed “serious concern and outrage” over the continued detention and reported blatant violations of the human rights of 43 Filipino volunteer health workers, doctors, nurses and midwives arrested last month by the military in Rizal province.

In a joint statement, IADL president Jeanne Mirer and IADL secretary general Osamu Niikura, said the 43 health workers, who have been detained for over a month now, has reportedly been “subjected to torture, threats, harassment, intimidation, coercion, interrogations without counsel of choice, denial of effective medical attention and other transgressions.”

The IADL called on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to intervene and immediately order the release of the detained health workers.

The group said it will continue to monitor the case until such time that it is resolved.

“The February 6th mass arrests and search of these volunteers who were undergoing a training seminar on basic health care and medical services for the poor and underprivileged sectors of Philippine communities are illegal by both national standards and universally accepted international principles. IADL shall continue to closely monitor the legal and judicial proceedings of this case as these impacts on rudimentary civil and political rights that every civilized nation and state should protect and uphold,” the IADL said.

“We are outraged by reports from our Philippine affiliate, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), together with the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), that the Philippine military has not only deprived their clients of their basic right to counsel during the most crucial early periods of custody. State agents are attempting to force confessions from those detained,” it said.

“We call on the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to respect the rule of law and to instruct its military and police to respect the basic rights of its citizens irrespective of the trumped-up charges and fabricated evidence against these health workers. The buck stops with her,” the group said.

The IADL, at the same time, said that it will coordinate with Filipino colleagues to make efforts to inform the people throughout the world of the plight of the health workers, seeking to ensure those who are responsible are held accountable.

“The IADL will also support our colleagues in their professional work and commitment to seek justice for their clients and stop this brazen display of impunity by the Philippine military,” the group said.