CNA Staff, Jun 2, 2020 / 12:38 pm
A La Salle brother and educator has been given an award in recognition of his defense of human rights amid religious repression in the Philippines.
Amnesty International Philippines announced May 28 that the Ignite Award for Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender would go to Brother Armin Luistro, FSC, in the individual category.
AIP describes the award as its top honor for human rights defenders in the country and aims to recognize the impact their work brings in changing peoples' lives through mobilization, activism, rights-based policy advocacy, and art.
"It is necessary to shine a spotlight on those individuals who continue to pave the way for collective action. It is especially difficult now for human rights prime movers to take action amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We note that we are in extraordinary times but the same human rights defenders are speaking out against repression during this crisis," the chair of AIP's selection committee said May 28.