The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) calls on the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to uphold the civil and political rights of journalist Mahmudur Rahman to free expression and freedom from torture.

AFAD is very much alarmed by recent violations of human rights in the country such as the alleged killings of ten people in Fatikchhari sub-district of Chittagong on 11 April 2013, the same day that State authorities shut down the operations of Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Amardesh, seized its computers, and arrested its interim editor, Mr. Mahmudur Rahman.

To date, Mr. Rahman is detained at the custody of the Detective Branch of Police in Dhaka after the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court remanded him for 13 days. He was previously arrested, remanded, and detained allegedly on fabricated charges. While in detention, he was reportedly tortured. It is feared that he will again be tortured while in detention.

Journalists like Mr. Rahman play a vital role in exposing human rights violations in any country such as extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances, among others. In the course of their work, some of them also get harassed, arrested and detained, and worse, disappeared and killed.

Bangladesh is a state party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 6 September 2000 and 5 October 1998 respectively. By acceding to these treaties, the government of Bangladesh is duty bound to uphold the rights of journalists like Mr. Mahmudur Rahman and its citizens to free expression and protection from torture and other cruel treatments as stipulated in these laws.

The above incidents do not speak well of the promised adherence of the Bangladeshi government to international human rights treaties. These ironically come at a time when the country is scheduled to report to the United Nations come 29th of April for its Universal Periodic Review.

It is worth mentioning that the government, during its February 2009 review, accepted recommendations to “undertake measures to protect the rights of journalists and human rights defenders and further its efforts to improve the human rights situation on the ground.”^[1]

The AFAD appeals to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to rise above partisan politics, implement the recommendations of the last UPR and genuinely work towards peace and human rights promotion in Bangladesh. The country and its people experienced so much woundedness already, from the Liberation war in 1971 to military coups, aside from ethnic conflicts.

In your August 2012 speech on the occasion of the 16th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran^[2], you underscored the prevalence of injustice and undemocratic practices as root causes of unrest in some countries.

The AFAD asks you to “Walk your Talk.” Uphold the human rights of your people, adhere to the rule of law and punish the perpetrators of human rights violations!

Further, AFAD calls on the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“SPT”) to send a delegation to Bangladesh to look into allegations of torture of detainees and related issue.

Lastly, AFAD requests Mr. Pablo de Greiff, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence to investigate into reports of gross human rights violations in Bangladesh.

Signed by:

MUGIYANTO
Chairperson

MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO
Secretary-General

Notes:

^[1] Database of UPR Recommendations, retrieved from http://www.upr-info.org/database/index.php?limit=0&f_SUR=14&f_SMR=All&order=&orderDir=ASC&orderP=true&f_Issue=All&searchReco=&resultMax=25&response=&action_type=&session=&SuRRgrp=&SuROrg=&SMRRgrp=&SMROrg=&pledges=RecoOnly

^[2] Office of the Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, retrieved from http://www.pmo.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=843&Itemid=353