URGENT APPEAL: Bangladesh: the protection of human rights defender Mr. Shahanur Islam

The Hague, the Netherlands, January 19th, 2011

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) is deeply concerned about the recent incident of physical assault and threats of Mr. Shahanur Islam, BIHR’s Executive Director and lawyer in Bangladesh.During an investigation on the 9th of January, 2011 Mr. Shahanur Islam and his two fact-finding officers were physically attacked, threatened and looted all their valuable belongings in Thakurgaon district.This incident is unfortunately one of many that has taken place over

the past few years, where Mr. Islam has been exposed to threats and assault as a result of his work to protect minorities in the country. Human rights defenders are frequently subjected to harassment from authorities in Bangladesh. The incident must be investigated and appropriate sanctions be meted to the police authority in question. GHRD urges for the immediate intervention to ensure the protection of human rights defenders and lawyers in their daily work in Bangladesh.

January 19th, 2011

The Hague, the Netherlands

URGENT APPEAL: Bangladesh: Ensure the protection of human rights defender Mr. Shahanur Islam [General Secretary and Executive Director of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)] and BIHR fact-finding team
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ISSUES: Threats to human rights defenders, personal integrity, physical assault, looting
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Dear Friends,

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) is deeply concerned about the recent incident of physical assault and threats of Mr. Shahanur Islam, BIHR’s Executive Director and lawyer in Bangladesh.

During an investigation on the 9th of January, 2011 Mr. Shahanur Islam and his two fact-finding officers were physically attacked, threatened and looted all their valuable belongings in Thakurgaon district.This incident is unfortunately one of many that has taken place over the past few years, where Mr. Islam has been exposed to threats and assault as a result of his work to protect minorities in the country. Human rights defenders are frequently subjected to harassment from authorities in Bangladesh. The incident must be investigated and appropriate sanctions be meted to the police authority in question. GHRD urges for the immediate intervention to ensure the protection of human rights defenders and lawyers in their daily work in Bangladesh.

Case Details:

On the 9th of January, 2011 a fact-finding team composing of Mr. Shahanur Islam, Executive Director of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and two fact-finding officers, BIHR went to Bania/Jhargaon area in Thakurgaon district to investigate the incident of the ill-treatment of a minority woman.

After reaching the spot, the fact-finding team interviewed the witnesses and the local people. In the mean time, 10-12 unidentified people came to the spot and questioned the fact-finding team about their reason of presence. One of the perpetrators identified himself as being the chairman of the local union Parishad, another perpetrator indentified himself as a member of Parishad. After the members of the fact-finding team identified themselves, the perpetrators accused them of being involved in the murder of a young boy, trading with a stolen motorbike and taking part in fraudulent dollar transactions. Then, one of the perpetrators physically attacked Mr. Islam and took away his mobile phone, while he was trying to call the local police station for help. 

Meanwhile, the perpetrators also attacked the two fact-finding officers and took away their mobiles as well.
The perpetrators – threatening the members of the fact-finding team with a pistol - looted the video camera, laptop, secret pen video camera, still camera, documents, money bag and all other valuable belongings of the fact finding team, amounting approximately to BDT 3,50,000.

When Mr. Islam tried to shout for help, he was physically attacked. Then the attackers forced the victims - by threatening them with pistol - to pose with dollars while the perpetrators took pictures of them. After taking the pictures, the perpetrators warned the fact-finding team not to inform the police about this incident, otherwise they will get these photos published in the newspapers and kill the victims.

Finally the perpetrators fled away on some unregistered motorbikes.

Then the fact finding team went to Thakurgaon Police Station and informed the police about the incident. The police - along with the fact-finding team - visited the spot on same day, but no perpetrators were identified by the fact-finding team. On the next day, an FIR was registered at the Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station under no. 06/2011 dated 10.01.2011. The investigation officer has not visited the spot and no perpetrators have been arrested yet.

Recommendations

GHRD is very disturbed about the recent assault against human rights defender Mr. Islam. During the past few years he has been exposed to multiple threats and has been attacked and threatened many times. Taking into consideration that this incident is not an isolated event but rather violations that occur frequently in Bangladesh, GHRD urges the authorities to: 

Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Islam and the two fact-finding officers;

Order a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation. The result of the investigation must be made public in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law;

 

Ensure the respect and protection of the work of human rights defenders throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international standards;

Ensure that the human rights activities of Mr. Islam and other human rights defenders/organizations may proceed unhindered;

Comply with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, as well as Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

We trust that you will take immediate action regarding this serious matter. We look forward to your favorable response.

Thank you. 

PLEASE WRITE TO:

1. Mrs. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490
E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd or ps1topm@pmo.gov.bd or psecy@pmo.gov.bd
2. Mr. Justice ABM Khairul Islam
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 5058
Tel: +880 2 956 2792
3. Barrister Shafique Ahmed
Minister of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 7168557
4. Ms. Sahara Khatun MP
Minister of Home Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 7160405, 880 2 7164788
5. Mr. Mahbubey Alam
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Annex Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 1568
6. Mr. Hasan Mahmud Khondaker
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters'
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 3362 / 956 3363
E-mail: ig@police.gov.bd