An open letter from from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) to the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission
OPEN LETTER
To the Honorable Ambassador of Bangladesh,
On behalf of KontraS (Commission for The Disappeared and Victims of Violence), we deplore the arrest and arbitrary detention towards Mr. Adilur Rahman, Secretary of Odhikar (human rights organization based in Bangladesh), committed by the the Detective Branch Office in Dhaka at 10.20 pm on August 10, 2013. As part of the international civil society organization concerning human rights, we condemn the arrest and arbitrary detention of Adilur as a big failure of the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the protection of Human rights defender in accordance with the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders by the United Nations in which Bangladesh is also one of its members.
This arrest blatantly proof that the Government of Bangladesh is still committing restrictions and suppression against civil society, especially human rights defenders in order to silencing all forms of voices against the incumbent government’s human rights abuses. Thus, refers to the reference of law used by police to arrest Adilur which is the Act information and communication technologies 2006, where Adilur considered violate the Act. The use of this Act as the basis of the arrest was associated with a report prepared by Odhikar about the massacre of 61 people during an operation conducted by law enforcement officers on May 5, 2013 against the Islamic activists in Motijheel area.
As part of the international civil society organization, we urge the government of Bangladesh to immediately take appropriate measures in accordance with international and national laws regarding the protection of human rights defenders.
Therefore, we urge the government of Bangladesh to immediately take the following measures, inter alia;
First, ensure the safety of Adilur Rahman Khan, not to be tortured nor inhumanly treated by the police during detention;
Second, immediately release Mr.Adilur Rahman Khan from the arrest and arbitrary detention that does not conform to the normative standards of international law.
Third, take adequate measure to investigate the arrest of Adilur by Bangladesh’ law enforcement agencies. Below is name of the persons involved;
Officers of the Detective Branch, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, 36 Minto Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Mr. Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Intelligence)
Mr. Abu Yusuf, Assistant Commissioner, of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police
The last but not least, is to ensure the protection of human rights defenders in Bangladesh not to be criminalized in any form as respect for the Universal Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.
Thank you for your attention
Jakarta, August 15, 2013
KontraS’ Working Body,
Haris Azhar
Executive Coordinator
