The International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), whose members from various countries are now meeting in Geneva, calls on the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the intensifying government attacks against human rights defenders in Bangladesh. These take the form of arbitrary arrests and detentions of targeted personalities critical of the government’s human rights performance.

On 11 April 2013, State authorities shut down the operations of Bangladeshi newspaper, Daily Amardesh, seized its computers, and arrested its interim editor, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman. He published a transcript of a Skype conversation between former International Crimes Tribunal Chairman, Justice Muhammad Nizamul Huq, and a Bangladeshi legal expert, Ahmed Ziauddin that, according to reports, appeared to have casted doubt on the independence of the International Crimes Tribunal. The government used provisions in the Information and Communications Technology Act 2006 (ICT) to justify its actions.

In August of the same year, Odhikar Secretary Adil Rhaman Khan was arrested in his home in front of his wife and family, detained and charged with violation of the ICT Act 2006 for supposedly publishing false images and information and disrupting the law and order situation of the country. A few days after Mr. Khan’s arrest, Odhikar’s office was raided by police and computers were seized. By October, Odhikar’s director, ASM Nasiruddin Elan was arrested and charged under the newly amended ICT Act of 2013. It must be noted that the newly-amended ICT Act 2013 was used against Mr. Elan’s detention.

The attack against Odhikar stemmed from its publication of a fact-finding report on the killing of 61 people by security forces on May 5-6, 2013 against Hefazat-e Islam activists in Dhaka. The government charged Odhikar of fabricating its report and demanded that this be turned over to them.

The ICT Act of 2006, according to an analysis of the International Commission of Jurists, have offenses which are vague and overboard; the restrictions imposed on freedom of opinion and expression go beyond what is permissible under Article 19(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); and the restrictions are not necessary and proportional to achieve a legitimate purpose. The amendments done in 2013 allowed the police to make arrests without warrants, many offenses were made non-bailable, and with minimum penalty of seven years. The maximum imprisonment of ten years was increased to 14 years. (International Commission of Jurists, 20 November 2013).

Odhikar has been monitoring and documenting human rights abuses in the country. Its officers, like Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, indefatigably work against enforced disappearances and other forms of human rights violations. With restricted operations, Odhikar is prevented from continuing its mandate of human rights documentation and reporting. Further, the security of its officers and staff are continually at risk. Meanwhile, human rights violations are continuing in the country.

Human rights organizations in the region and at the international level have been calling on the Bangladeshi government to adhere to its human rights obligations but the government is bent on further stifling dissent.

ICAED believes that it is high time that the UN Human Rights Council address the human rights situation of Bangladesh and ensure the safety of its human rights defenders.

Signed by:

MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO
Focal Person
International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances