Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Md. Aminul Islam Shahin was tortured by the police personnel from the Gournadi police station in the Barisal district on 9 November 2007. The police neither identified themselves nor gave any reason for breaking and entering Shahin’s home and subsequently torturing him until he was left unconscious. Shahin had to be admitted into multiple hospitals for treatment. He alleges that these police officers were bribed into arbitrarily arresting and torturing him. However, authorities have taken no action against the identified perpetrators and no investigation has been launched.
CASE DETAILS: (based on a fact-finding report by a local human rights group, the Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights)
On 9 November 2007, at 12:15 am, a group of seven police officers, led by Sub Inspector (SI) Mr. Monjur Morshed, went to the house of Mr. Md. Aminul Islam Shahin in the Pingalakathi village, under the Gournadi police station in Barisal district. As it was midnight, people of the village were asleep, and when the police violently knocked on the Shahin family’s door, the people of the house panicked, assuming that they might be under attack by robbers. A maid servant of the house, namely Ms. Ranu Begum, awoke from her sleep and asked the strangers their identities and reasons for coming to the house at midnight. The policemen did not disclose their professional identities to Ms. Renu and instead continued to forcefully push the door. Despite Ms. Renu’s repeated request that the strangers introduce themselves or come the following day, the policemen did not disclose their identities. After a while, the police shouted that they were from the administration rather than revealing their real titles, which left the residents distrustful of the late-night-strangers and made them refrain from opening their door.
The police then kicked the door down and entered the house. They began searching for Shahin, who was asleep in another room, far from the front room. As the police started noisily raiding the house, Shahin awoke. Thinking the house was under attack by robbers, he tried to escape from physical attack. Shahin went out from his room toward his neighbour’s house, known as ‘Hawladar House’, where the police caught up with him and proceeded to beat him with fists, rifle bats and batons. Shahin fell to the ground, and the police proceeded to kick him in the chest with their boots and stabbed him with their bayonets. Furthermore, the police shouted abusive language at Shahin, while putting the barrel of a rifle into his mouth and threatening to kill him in the name of ‘crossfire’. Police did not respond to Shahin’s repeated request for his life.
Hearing the shouts and cries, a number of Shahin’s neighbours woke up and rushed to the scene of torture, thinking that the raucous was being caused by robbers. The police, at first, resisted them and forced them to return to their respective homes. In a desperate attempt to encourage intervention from his neighbors, Shahin shouted out his family background and his father’s name before fainting on the spot.
The neighbours meanwhile approached the police and asked them to stop the torture. At this, the policemen attempted to flee, leaving Shahin’s unconscious body at the scene. The people, however, insisted that the police take Shahin to the local hospital, and the police agreed under the pressure. They picked up Shahin’s body and admitted him into the Gournadi Upazilla Health Complex. There, they forced the on-duty medical doctors to record Shahin as a victim of a road traffic accident. With the passing time, Shahin’s health condition deteriorated. The hospital authorities referred him to the Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal city for better treatment and he was transferred there that same morning. He remained admitted until 12 November 2007.
Observing Shahin’s health condition the doctors of the medical college referred him to the National Institute of Kidney Disease and Urology (NIKDU) where Shahin was admitted on 13 November at the cabin number-3/A. At the NIKDU, he received treatment until 24 November 2007. As his condition had been out of serious danger, the doctors released him from the hospital, although he did require further treatment for his injuries. On 25 November, he went to the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), which provides medical treatment for victims of torture free of cost, within their capacity as a human rights organization.
Shahin alleges that a group of his neighbours, who had allegedly been involved in adulteration and unlawful activities in the locality and who were punished in several arbitrations and published in the media, influenced the police’s abuse. Shahin believe that they paid bribes to the police to arbitrarily arrest and kill him in the name of ‘crossfire’ for his non-compromising role as a witness during the social interventions.
Governmental authorities did not take any action against the alleged perpetrators regarding this torture of Mr. Aminul Islam Shahin.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the relevant authorities to investigate into this alleged incident of torture to Mr. Aminul Islam Shahin and provide protection for his security as well as compensation for the injuries he sustained due to torture.
The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the Question of Torture calling for the intervention in this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
BANGLADESH: A man tortured by the Gournadi police in Barisal
Name of victim: Md. Aminul Islam Shahin, son of late Mr. Muzaffar Gazi, living in Pingalakathi village under Gaurnadi police station in Barisal district
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1) Mr. Manjur Morshed, Sub Inspector of Police
2) Mr. Nazrul Islam, Assistant Sub Inspector of Police
3) Mr. Md. Sumon Mian, Police Constables No. 1416
4) Mr. Md. Saiful Islam Police Constable No. 1386
5) Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Police Constable No. 1419
6) Mr. Md. Nizam Uddin, Police Constable No. 563
7) Mr. Yunus Ali, Police Constable No. 416
(All are attached to the Gournadi police station in Barisal district)
Place of incident: House of the victim and the Gaurnadi police station in Barisal district
Date of incident: 9 November 2007
I am writing to urge the government of Bangladesh to investigate the torture of a man and to bring his assailants to justice. Moreover, I ask that the victim and his family be adequately compensated and assured protection.
According to the information I have received, on 9 November 2007, at 12:15 am, a group of seven police officers, led by Sub Inspector (SI) Mr. Monjur Morshed, went to the house of Mr. Md. Aminul Islam Shahin in the Pingalakathi village, under the Gournadi police station in Barisal district. As it was midnight, people of the village were asleep, and when the police violently knocked on the Shahin family’s door, the people of the house panicked, assuming that they might be under attack by robbers. A maid servant of the house, namely Ms. Ranu Begum, awoke from her sleep and asked the strangers their identities and reasons for coming to the house at midnight. The policemen did not disclose their professional identities to Ms. Renu and instead continued to forcefully push the door. Despite Ms. Renu’s repeated request that the strangers introduce themselves or come the following day, the policemen did not disclose their identities. After a while, the police shouted that they were from the administration rather than revealing their real titles, which left the residents distrustful of the late-night-strangers and made them refrain from opening their door.
I have learned that the police then kicked the door down and entered the house. They began searching for Shahin, who was asleep in another room, far from the front room. As the police started noisily raiding the house, Shahin awoke. Thinking the house was under attack by robbers, he tried to escape from physical attack. Shahin went out from his room toward his neighbour’s house, known as ‘Hawladar House’, where the police caught up with him and proceeded to beat him with fists, rifle bats and batons. Shahin fell to the ground, and the police proceeded to kick him in the chest with their boots and stabbed him with their bayonets. Furthermore, the police shouted abusive language at Shahin, while putting the barrel of a rifle into his mouth and threatening to kill him in the name of ‘crossfire’. Police did not respond to Shahin’s repeated request for his life.
I have learned that hearing the shouts and cries, a number of Shahin’s neighbours woke up and rushed to the scene of torture, thinking that the raucous was being caused by robbers. The police, at first, resisted them and forced them to return to their respective homes. In a desperate attempt to encourage intervention from his neighbors, Shahin shouted out his family background and his father’s name before fainting on the spot.
I have also been informed that the neighbours meanwhile approached the police and asked them to stop the torture. At this, the policemen attempted to flee, leaving Shahin’s unconscious body at the scene. The people, however, insisted that the police take Shahin to the local hospital, and the police agreed under the pressure. They picked up Shahin’s body and admitted him into the Gournadi Upazilla Health Complex. There, they forced the on-duty medical doctors to record Shahin as a victim of a road traffic accident. With the passing time, Shahin’s health condition deteriorated. The hospital authorities referred him to the Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal city for better treatment and he was transferred there that same morning. He remained admitted until 12 November 2007.
I have been informed that observing Shahin’s health condition the doctors of the medical college referred him to the National Institute of Kidney Disease and Urology (NIKDU) where Shahin was admitted on 13 November at the cabin number-3/A. At the NIKDU, he received treatment until 24 November 2007. As his condition had been out of serious danger, the doctors released him from the hospital, although he did require further treatment for his injuries. On 25 November, he went to the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), which provides medical treatment for victims of torture free of cost, within their capacity as a human rights organization.
I have learned that a group of his neighbours, who had allegedly been involved in adulteration and unlawful activities in the locality and who were punished in several arbitrations and published in the media, allegedly influenced the police’s abuse. Shahin believe that they paid bribes to the police to arbitrarily arrest and kill him in the name of ‘crossfire’ for his non-compromising role as a witness during the social interventions.
I urge the government authorities of Bangladesh to commence a thorough investigation regarding this case and take necessary actions against the alleged perpetrators. Adequate protection from further harassment by the so-called law-enforcers must be provided to Mr. Aminul Islam Shahin, and the authorities must compensate him sufficiently for the torture. Necessary medical treatment should be provided to Mr. Aminul Islam Shahin without further delay.
I am also very much concerned that none of the alleged perpetrators have been prosecuted for their alleged crimes. As a result of inaction, the worst type of culture of impunity is cultivated in Bangladesh, despite the nation’s presence in the UN Human Rights Council since May 2006.
I trust you will take immediate action in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Adviser
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Chief Advisor
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490
Tel: +880 2 882 816 079 / 988 8677
2. Mr. Mohammad Ruhul Amin
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 5058
Tel: +880 2 956 2792
3. Mr. A F Hassan Arif
Adviser
Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7160627 (O)
Fax: +88-02-7168557 (O)
4. Barrister Fida M Kamal
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 1568
Tel: +880 2 956 2868
5. Mr. Nur Mohammad
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters’
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 3362 / 956 3363
Tel: +880 2 956 2054 / 717 6451 / 717 6677
6. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Barisal Range
Office of the DIG Barisal Range
Sadar Road, Barisal
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-0431-63574 (O)
Fax: +88-0431-65150 (O)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
