Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that a man, who was arbitrarily arrested, detained and tortured by the Kotwali police continues to remain in Barisla jail despite having had no official charges laid against him.
The victim, Imon Chowdhury came into conflict with his father-in-law, who did not recognise the marriage of his daughter and Imon. The father-in-law and his relatives proceeded to beat Imon, before handing him over to the Kotwali police. Once in custody, Imon was tortured by the police and was threatened with a sharp object. He was then detained overnight.
The police then produced the victim before the Magistrate Court of Barisal. The Magistrate, responding to the repeated requests by the police to detain the victim, ordered he be detained at Barisal jail, despite the police having failed to lay any specific charges against him. To date, the victim continues to languish in jail.
The AHRC is calling upon you to write letters to the relevant authorities in Bangladesh, in particular the Inspector General of Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging them to take immediate disciplinary and legal action against the errant policemen of Barisal district. The necessary reparations for the victim must be met.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
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DETAILED INFORMATION:
Name of the victim: Imon Chowdhury (23), son of Mr. Jahangir Chowdhury, a habitant of Ghanadhan village under Gaibandha district
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Sadar Circle of Barisal District
2. Sheikh Jillur Rahman, Inspector of Police and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Kotwali police in Barisal district
3. Mr. Motiar Rahman Sub Inspector (S I) of Police and Second Officer of the Kotwali police in Barisal district
4. Mr. Khalilur Rahman, Assistant Sub Inspector (A S I) of Police of the Kotwali police
5. Ms. Nazma Aktar Sukhi, Assistant Sub Inspector (A S I) of Police of the Kotwali police
Date of incident: 28 December 2005
Place of incident: Kotwali police station in Barisal
Case Details:
On 28 December 2005, Imon Chowdhury (23) went to his father-in-laws house at Rice Research Institute Road in Barisal town to collect his wife and return to his house in Gaibandha district. Imons wife Frzana (alias Suraia Akter Lima), who is pregnant, was staying there. She had left her husbands house a few days earlier with her father, Mr. Abdur Razzak following a false assurance from him that he would recognise the love marriage between his daughter and her husband.
According to the information, Limas father and other relatives beat Imon when he arrived at her fathers house. Mr. Abdur Razzak handed Imon over to the ASP (Sadar Circle) of Barisal district police Mr. Mizanur Rahman, who is a batch mate of one of Razzaks relative. ASP Mizan and his colleagues arrested Imon without any specific charge recorded against him before he was taken under arrest. The police then took Imon into the office of the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Kotwali police and tortured him with sticks. The police also threatened to put a sharp steel weapon into Imons body while beating him. Imon sustained considerable injuries to his body.
The police then brought Imon before the Magistrate court of Barisal under section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) and tried to frame him on fabricated charges. He was then detained at the Barisal jail under the order of the Magistrate, who refused to grant him bail due to repeated objections from the police against the petition on behalf of Imon.
However, the police, in defending their actions and under the influence of Mr. Abdur Razzak, have given two contradictory stories before the media. According to one story put forward by the police, Imon came to Limas house at Rice Research Institute of Barisal under the Sagardi area of the divisional town from his home district Gaibandha, which is far away from there. The local boys beat Imon on the street and handed him over to the police later on. In another story the police claimed, Imon used to regularly torture his wife Lima for dowry. As a result his wife left their marital home. When Imon came to seek dowry from Limas parents in Barisal, the local people handed him over to the police. The police produced Imon before the court under section 54 of the Cr.PC, not under the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Revised) Act, which is applicable in cases involving dowry and violence against women.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter immediately to the Inspector General of Police and the other persons below expressing your concern about the arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of Imon urging them to take prompt action to investigate the conduct of the police and to ensure that justice is attained for the victim.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _______________
BANGLADESH: A man arbitrarily arrested and tortured by the Kotwali police remains detained in Barisal jail
Name of the victim: Imon Chowdhury (23), son of Mr. Jahangir Chowdhury, a habitant of Ghanadhan village under Gaibandha district
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Sadar Circle of Barisal District
2. Sheikh Jillur Rahman, Inspector of Police and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Kotwali police in Barisal district
3. Mr. Motiar Rahman Sub Inspector (S I) of Police and Second Officer of the Kotwali police in Barisal district
4. Mr. Khalilur Rahman, Assistant Sub Inspector (A S I) of Police of the Kotwali police
5. Ms. Nazma Aktar Sukhi, Assistant Sub Inspector (A S I) of Police of the Kotwali police
Date of incident: 28 December 2005
Place of incident: Kotwali police station in Barisal
I am writing to bring to your attention the alleged arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of a man by the Kotwali police of Barisal district in Bangladesh and his current detention in jail, despite having had no formal charges laid against him.
According to the information I have received, Imon Chowdhury went to see his pregnant wife Lima at her parents house at Rice Research Institute Road under Sagardi area in Barisal town. Limas father, Mr. Abdur Razzak, who did not recognise the marriage of his daughter to Imon, proceeded to beat Imon when he arrived at his house. He then handed Imon over to the Assistant Superintendent of Police-ASP (Sadar Circle) of Barisal district police office, Mr. M Mizanur Rahman. The police officer, along with his colleagues, beat Imon with sticks in the office of the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Kotwali police. Imon sustained considerable injuries.
The police intimidated the victim by threatening to stab him with a sharp object. He was then produced before the Magistrate court under section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr. PC) and was detained in Barisal jail despite having had no specific charge laid against him. It has been alleged that the police, who have been influenced by Imons father-in-law, and in an attempt to defend themselves, are trying to have actual charges laid against the victim.
In light of this, I request that you ensure a fair and thorough investigation into the alleged conduct of the police. If it is found that the alleged perpetrators committed crimes against the victim, then they must be made accountable for their actions and if found guilty, indicted under the prevailing domestic laws of Bangladesh. Furthermore, given that no charges have been laid against the victim, he should be released from jail without delay.
The police authority of Barisal district must compensate the victim for the loss he has suffered, and arrange all necessary medical treatment for him. During the investigation of the police, protection must be afforded to the victim.
The repeated violations committed by law enforcers in Bangladesh point to the urgent need for training for all police and other law enforcement agents. Without this training heinous crimes committed by the very people who are supposed to uphold the rule of law will no doubt continue.
Therefore, I urge you and other government officials in Bangladesh to consider reforming your current law enforcement system by introducing better training programmes for your police officers and to make them more accountable for the abuses they have committed against ordinary citizens of Bangladesh.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND LETTER TO:
1. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677 (O), +88-02-8362552 or 8362553 (R)
Fax: +88-02-9563362 or 9563363
2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O) or 8359000 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7160405, +88-02-7164788
3. Mr. Anwarul Karim
Joint Secretary (Police)
Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7164680 (O) or 8953012 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7171592
4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
The Attorney General of Bangladesh
The Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562868
Fax: +88-02-9561568
5. Mr. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058
6. Mr. Sheikh Hemayat Uddin
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Barisal Range
Office of the DIG of Police Barisal Range
Sadar Road, Barisal
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-0431-63574 (O)
Fax: +88-0431-65150 (O)
7. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr.Sarir Syed
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel:+41 22 917 9230
Fax:+41 22 9179016 (general)
E-mail: ssyed@ohchr.org
8. Ms Leila Zerrougui
Chairperson
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
c/o Miguel de la Lama
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTENTION: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention)
Email
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
