URGENT APPEAL: Urge to Ensure the Security and Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS: URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-IUA-01-03-2009 

DATE: March 04, 2009 ====================================== 

BANGLADESH: Urge to Ensure the Security and Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders.

Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact-finding report conducted by a high level fact-finding team of BIHR regarding to a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh is still under threats his life. He filed more general diary to the concerned police station but no appropriate action has been taken as well as no investigation has been conducted. BIHR urges your immediate intervention to ensure his security to save his life as well as investigate this alleged incident credibly and punishment of the alleged perpetrators in accordance with the law. . 

BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Name of the Victim :Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot (28), Secretary General and Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), Member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District. 

Present Address : 27, Bijoy Nagar, Dhaka-1000. 

ate & Time of the Incident :i) February 28, 2009, around at 11.28 am. 

General Diary against Perpetrators : Paltan Thana G.D. No-2281, Date: 28.02.09 

FACT DETAILS: On February 28, 2009 around at 11.28 am, while Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot was working his desk at Bangladesh Institution Human Rights at 27 Bijoy nagar, Dhaka-1000, a phone call from the number of 01553663666871 came to his own number 01916906300. After receiving the call while Mr. Shahanur Islam asked the caller to inform about his identity, he acquainted with him as Pintu and starting to use filthy language. When he asked the caller about the reason of such kind of misbehavior, he threatened him to shoot his head to kill. He also threatened him by expressing that if he does not kill him, he is not the son of his father. Then he switched off his cell phone. Again around at 11.32 am another call from 01711706366 came to the cell of Mr. Shahanur that no. 01720308080 and while he received the call, the caller introduced him as Pintu and again started to use filthy language. One time he threatened that he would come at the office of Mr. Shahanur by that day and killed him by shoot. He also threatened him to take mentally preparation to death. Being afraid by the threat, Mr. Shahanur Islam filed a general diary at Paltan Police Station of DMP that Palana Thana G.D. No-2281, Date: 28.02.09 stating the incident as well as praying the security of his life as well as bring the alleged perpetrator to justice by arresting Immediacy. On March 01, 2009 around at 9.52 am, the alleged perpetrator called Mr. Shahanur (Cell Phone no. 01926906300) by his cell No. 01924624825 and disclosing his identity again threatened him to kill. He also threatened that he would come immediately to kill him. 

  BACK GROUND HISTORY: Mr. Shahanur was threatened to kill more times and more general diary were filed by him previously. On August 29, 2008 around at 10.17 pm, while Mr. Shahanur was working his desk at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) office, one unknown person called his cell phone by his cell number 01732330005 and asked him to disclose identity and location. But due to security reason he denied it, rather asked him to disclose his identity. The person denied disclosing his identity and became angry with him. During the time of speaking he said that he is a higher authority of law enforcing agencies and he would disclose his identity and would punish Mr. Shahanur as soon as possible. At once he told that he knows him but he does not know the residential address and if he knew the address, he would come to his home and gave him exemplary punishment. Later, he told that Mr. Shahanur is going to face more suffering within a short time. He also showed bad behavior to him. After this incident on August 31, 2008 Mr. Shahanur Islam filed a General Diary to Paltan Police Station in DMP that no. 2014. 

  ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Mr. Shahanur Islam is a prominent human rights defender and also a member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association in Bangladesh who is currently working as a Programme Manager (Legal & Human Rights Affairs) at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT). He is also General Secretary as well as Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and development (BCHRD). During the time of his duties, he conducted many investigation / fact-finding missions on difference incident of human rights violation as well as issued local and international urgent appeal paying attention to concerned authority. He also filled many cases against the perpetrators as a lawyer and some of them have been punished. He also spoke with print and electronic media as like German Radio (Bengali Programme), Channel – I, ATN Bangla, NTV etc on different issues of rights as well as abuses of human rights in Bangladesh. As a human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh he is a strong voice to protect and promote rights of the people and also strong voice against the violation and abuses of rights in Bangladesh. 

  SUGGESTED ACTION: Please write letters to the relevant authorities to ensure the security of Mr. Shahanur as well as asking to investigate into this alleged incident and insist that it is ensured to be a credible investigation as well as punishment of the alleged perpetrators in accordance with the law. 

  SAMPLE LETTER 

 Dear -------------------, 

  Sub: Urge to Ensure the Security and Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders.

I am informed by an organization in Bangladesh that Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot received death threats on 28 February 2009 and 1 March 2009. I am writing to express our concern over this case and urge the police to conduct full and effective investigation. The victim of intimidation, Adv. Shahanur, is the Program Maanger of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR). He is also affiliated with Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development, Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims, and Member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association. When he was working at the BIHR office at 11:28 a.m. on 28 February 2009, he received a call from a person named himself as Pintu, the cell phone no. was displayed as 01553663666871. That person threatened him that 妬f he did not kill Adv. Shahaunur, he would not the son of his father. Five minutes after the first intimidating call, another call from cell phone no. 01711706366 reached the victim again. The called also claimed himself as Pintu and threatened that he would go to Adv. Shahanur’s office and shot him to dead. He also warned him to take mental preparation about his death. On 1 March, Adv. Shahanur received call from cell phone no. 01924624825 that threatened to go to his office and kill him. Likewise, several death threats were received by Adv. Shahanur on 29 August 2008. Adv. Shahanur is a human rights defender and has been active in documenting and investigating cases of human rights violations. He also widely disseminates those cases through urgent appeals nationally and internationally. I worry that the death threats that the victim received may relate to his endeavor in exposing the human rights violations in Bangladesh. I sincerely urges the police to take immediate measures to ensure the personal security of the victims as well as other human rights activists. Particularly, in order to deter further harassment to Adv. Shahanur, the police should probe the owner(s) of the cell phone nos. mentioned above and conduct effective investigation over the case. The perpetrator(s) must be punished in accordance to law. In addition, the police should offer protection to the victim to ensure his personal security before the case is resolved. Thank you for your attention and we look forward to your favorable response to this issue. 

 Yours faithfully, ----------------------- 

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Sheikh Hasina Chief Adviser Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Office of the Prime Minister Tejgaon, Dhaka BANGLADESH Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490 Tel: +880 2 882 816 079 / 988 8677 E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd or psecy@pmo.gov.bd 2. Mr. Mohammad Ruhul Amin Chief Justice Supreme Court of Bangladesh Supreme Court Building Ramna, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 5058 Tel: +880 2 956 2792 3. Ms. Shahara Khatun Minister Ministry of Home Affairs Bangladesh Secretariat Dhaka-1000

BANGLADESH

Fax: +88-02-7160405, 88-02-7164788 (O) Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O) 4. Mr. Mahbube Alam Attorney General of Bangladesh Office of the Attorney General Supreme Court Building Ramna, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 1568 Tel: +880 2 956 2868 5. General Moeen U Ahmed Chief of Army Staff Bangladesh Army Army Headquarters Dhaka Cantonment DhakaBANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 875 4455 Tel: +880 2 987 0011 E-mail: itdte@army.mil.bd 6. Mr. Nur Mohammad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bangladesh Police Police Headquarters' Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 956 3362 / 956 3363 Tel: +880 2 956 2054 / 717 6451 / 717 6677 E-mail: ig@police.gov.bd 7. Mr. Hassan Mahmud Khandokar Director General (DG) Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) RAB Headquarter Uttara, Dhaka BANGLADESH

Fax: +880 2 896 2884 (O) Tel: +880 2 896 1105 (O) E-mail: dg_rab@rab.gov.bd Thank You Urgent Appeal Programme Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) 27, Bijoy Nagar, B-17, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh Email:saikotbihr@gmail.com; bihr@bangla.net www.bangladeshinstituteofhumanrights.blogspot.com