Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding a 14-year-old girl Munira who was very nearly raped by the police officers of the Senhati camp in Khulna district, while her brother was arbitrarily arrested and is still being detained in Khulna prison (To see details, please go: UA-296-2006). According to the information we have received, a government officer who is an influential figure in the area has threatened Munira, urging her to withdraw the complaint against the alleged police officers. Meanwhile, government authorities have yet to take action against the alleged police officers.
On 23 September 2006, Mr. Abdus Salam, a member of the ward number 4 of the Senhati Union Council, went to Munira’s house and allegedly told her to withdraw the case she lodged against the policemen, including Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Mr. Mirazul, and his associates regarding the attempted rape. Mr. Salam also told the victim’s family, “Remember, the police lodged a case against you, in which your brother Mr. Rafiqul is detained in Khulna jail. If you dont withdraw the case against the police, you will be in trouble. Fighting against the police is very difficult!” He further suggested the family to come to a “solution” without fighting against the police.
Meanwhile, a plain clothed police constable came to Munira’s house on September 24 and asked her to come to the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Khulna district by 10:00am on the following day to give a statement. According to the police request, the victim together with her elder sister and sister-in-law went to the office of SP Mr. Moyenul Islam on September 25. However, the personal assistant of the SP kept the victim waiting for more than an hour. In the afternoon, the victim was told to go home by the personal assistant who said that the SP would call them again.
Munira says that she feels that the call to come to the police office by the Superintendent of Police (SP) itself is yet another threat to her. Considering the police brutality, arbitrary harassment and corruption in Bangladesh, the police stations are not the place where people go to seek justice but instead a place where they are afraid to go. She also said that the government authorities have not taken any action against the alleged perpetrators and her complaint has been dragged on and on. Meanwhile, due to constant threats by the alleged perpetrators, the victim and her family fear for their security.
Munira’s brother Rafiqul Islam (22) has been detained in the Khulna jail for more than two months due to the alleged fabricated charges by the police.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send your letter to the relevant Bangladeshi authorities listed below urging them to take prompt action into this matter. Please urge them to provide effective protection to the victim and her family and investigate the alleged intimidations. Please also urge them to investigate the alleged attempted rape case and the arbitrary arrest and detention of the victim’s brother Rafiqul without further delay.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
BANGLADESH: Repeated police threats to the attempted rape victim
Name of the victims:
1. Ms. Munira Khatun, aged 14, a student of class nine at the Star Jute Mills High School, daughter of the late Mr. Idris Hawladar Harun, residing in Uttar Chandani Mahal under the Dighalia police station in Khulna district, Bangladesh
2. Mr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, aged 22, the victim 1's brother
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Abdus Salam, Member of Ward number 4 of the Senhati Union Council under Dighalia police station in Khulna district (for threats)
2. Mr. Mirazul Islam Siraj, Assistant Sub Inspector of the Senhati police outpost under the Dighalia police station in Khulna district (for attempted rape, beating and arbitrary arrest)
3. Mr. Anwar Hossain, Sub Inspector of Police and in-charge of the Senhati police outpost under the Dighalia police station in Khulna district (for attempted rape, beating and arbitrary arrest)
4. Mr. Sentu Mollah, police constable number 1632, attached to the Senhati police outpost under the Dighalia police station in Khulna district (for attempted rape, beating and arbitrary arrest)
Date of the recent incident: 23 September 2006
Place of incidence: The victim's house
I am writing to express my grave concern about the alleged threats, intimidation and harassment of victims mentioned above in the Khulna district, Bangladesh on 23 September 2006.
According to the information I have received, on September 23, Mr. Abdus Salam, a member of the ward number 4 of the Senhati Union Council, allegedly threatened the family of a 14-year-old attempted rape victim, Munira, to withdraw their complaint against the police officers including ASI Mr. Mirazul and his associates. Mr. Salam also allegedly told the victim's family, "Remember, the police lodged a case against you, in which your brother Mr. Rafiqul is detained in Khulna jail. If you dont withdraw the case against the police, you will be in trouble. Fighting against the police is very difficult!"
I am also informed that Munira was asked to come to the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Khulna district on September 25 to give a statement but when she went there along with her elder sister and sister-in-law, the SP's personal assistant did not take a statement from her but made her wait for several hours. Later, she was told by the SP's personal assistant to come to the office on another occasion to record the statement. I am concerned about such police inaction into her case, while the victim's family suffers from constant threats by the alleged perpetrators. As far as I know, the government authorities have not taken any action against the alleged perpetrators and her complaint has been dragged on and on.
I also concern about Munira's brother Rafiqul Islam (22), who has been detained in the Khulna prison for more than two months due to the alleged fabricated charges by the police. No investigation has been conducted into his case, and the alleged perpetrators are using his case to threaten the victim's family. Due to these threats and intimidations, the victim and her family fear for their security.
In light of the above, I request that you ensure that a prompt, fair and thorough investigation is launched into the alleged threats, intimidation and harassment of Munira's family. If it is found that the alleged perpetrators committed crimes against the victims, then they must be made accountable for their actions and be indicted under section 211 of the Penal Code of Bangladesh. I strongly condemn the failure of the concerned authority for their failure of taking legal initiatives to release Rafiqul Islam, who was allegedly arbitrarily arrested, tortured and detained. The victims must also be vindicated from the fabricated charges and Rifaqul must be released from arbitrary detention. I also urge you to take action to ensure the security of the families of the victims from possible harassment and threats from the police or other law enforcement personnel or the local public representatives while the investigation is on going. The victims also must receive adequate compensation as well as proper medical treatment.
The repeated violations by the law enforcement officers in Bangladesh point to the urgent need of training and need for strict discipline within the police and other law enforcement agencies. Without these, such abuses will no doubt continue. I am also concerned that such violations continue despite the presence of Bangladesh on the UN Human Rights Council and having been a state party to the UN Convention against Torture (CAT).
Therefore, I strongly urge you together with other government officials in Bangladesh to take genuine action to reform the current law enforcement system by introducing better training programmes, enforcing strict discipline, as well as handing down punishment for any misconduct and crimes committed against the ordinary citizens of Bangladesh.
I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
---------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mrs. Begum Khaleda Zia
Prime Minister
The Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Old Parliament House,
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 8828160-79, 9888677
Fax: +880 2 8113244 or 3243 or 1015 or 1490
2. Mr. Md. Lutfuzzaman Babar
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. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058
4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
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. Anwarul Iqbal
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters'
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677
Fax: +88-02-9563362 or 9563363
6. Mr. Mezbah-un-Nabi
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Khulna Range
Office of the DIG of Khulna Range
Khulna
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-041-761823 (O)
Fax: +88-041-761300 (O)
7. Professor 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)
8. Ms. Leila Zerrougui
Working Group on arbitrary detention
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTENTION: WORKING GROUP ARBITRARY DETENTION)
9. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
c/o Ms Vernonica Birga
Room 3-042
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9615
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN)
10. Mr. Leandro Despouy
Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
Att: Sonia Cronin
Room: 3-060
OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9160
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR INDEPENDENCE JUDGES & LAWYERS)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
