Bring Mary Jane Home NOW! Sign Open Letter to the Governments of the Philippines and Indonesia

18 December 2020

H.E. JOKO WIDODO  

President of the Republic of Indonesia 

Istana Merdeka

Jakarta Pusat 10110, Indonesia

H.E. RODRIGO R. DUTERTE 

President of the Republic of the Philippines

Malacañang Complex

J.P. Laurel Street

San Miguel, Manila 1005, NCR, Philippines

Sub: Bring Mary Jane Home NOW: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

Your Excellencies,

We, the undersigned, demand justice for Mary Jane Veloso and stand in solidarity with her and her family. Mary Jane, a human trafficking victim, has been imprisoned in Indonesia for 10 years on death row since 2010. We urge that both the governments of Indonesia and of the Philippines coordinate and guarantee Mary Jane a fair and due legal process, including her right to testify through deposition, and immediately release Mary Jane.

In October 2019, the Philippine Supreme Court granted Mary Jane Veloso the right to testify against her recruiters through deposition in Indonesia. On receiving this favourable decision, Mary Jane’s supporters and family members expected justice would prevail and that Mary Jane would be soon freed.

However, over one year has passed since that Supreme Court’s decision, and Mary Jane’s hearing remains unscheduled.  Mary Jane still remains detained in Indonesia, waiting for her chance to testify without any concrete timeline.

 Justice delayed is justice denied. Mary Jane’s endless waiting amounts to torture not only to herself but also to her two children and her elderly parents.  While there is no clear information on her trial and submission of her deposition, the  Indonesian authorities have imposed onerous conditions on Mary Jane’s testimony, including the conditions of detention in Yogyakarta, a ban on cameras and legal representation, and submission of questions in writing.  

 After 10 years of imprisonment despite her innocence, it is time for Mary Jane Veloso to freely walk out of the prison gates and start her long-stolen life  again.  It must be recognised that Mary Jane’s experience is not an isolated case and indeed shared by many migrant women who are victims of discriminatory laws, policies and inaccessible justice systems.

We strongly urge the governments of Indonesia and of the Philippines to:  

• Guarantee Mary Jane a timely, fair and impartial legal proceedings without any undue delay.
• Remove any existing barriers to Mary Jane Veloso’s full exercise of her legal rights, including her right to testify not only through deposition but also through video recording or real time trial participation and her right to legal representatives during trials.
• Release Mary Jane Veloso following her  deposition and fully support subsequent procedures for her return to the Philippines.

This post will be updated as more sign-ons are received.

Click here to sign on to the letter by 31st December, 2020.