Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that four persons, including a pregnant woman were tortured while one was arbitrarily arrested and detained by the Paikgachha police in Khulna district on 3 May 2006. The victims received considerable injuries due to the police torture. One of the arrested persons was later released following the requests of the local elite. The police denied that they tortured the four people despite the fact that many people witnessed the incident. The authorities have not yet taken any action regarding this case.
On 3 May 2006, Sub Inspector (SI) of the Paikgachha police station, Mr. Abdus Samad, ordered two police constables, Mr. Asad and Mr. Ashraf to arrest two persons of Saral village. The two constables then went to the house of Mr. Elahi Box Sardar to arrest them; however, he was not at home. The police then went to Mr. Mostofa Sardar ‘s house and attempted to arrest him. Mostofa’s wife, Mrs. Anwara Begum, sister-in-law, Mrs. Anjuman Ara Parvin, and son, Mr. Khairul objected to the police action and asked for the reason of arrest. The two constables then kicked Mrs. Anjuman Ara, who was pregnant, with their boots in her lower abdomen. As a result, Mrs. Anjuman became faint. The police also used boots, sticks and fists to beat Mostofa; his brother Elahi Box’s wife, Mrs. Anwara and Khairul. The policemen also verbally abused the victims. Mr. Mostofa was then arrested without any reason and taken to the Paikgachha police station. The policemen proceeded to beat Mostofa on the way to the police station in public and again once in custody. He was detained in the police station for the night. At midnight, one of his brothers, who is a government officer, was accompanied by local elites and persuaded the police to release Mostofa from detention. Following the request, the police then released Mostofa.
Meanwhile, the victims were sent to the Paikgachha Upazilla Health Complex to treat their injuries. The hospital’s on duty medial doctor, Dr. Mr. Zahidul Islam, told a fact-finding team that all four persons had swelling over their bodies. Among them was Mrs. Anjuman Ara, who was bleeding from her genitalia. As a result, they referred Anjuman to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) for specialised treatment. Mrs. Anwara also went to the KMCH and Khairul received first aid. After having been released from police custody, Mostofa was admitted to the hospital for three days. He was asked to see a specialist for head injuries he sustained due to the police torture.
Sub Inspector of the Paikgachha police station, Mr. Abdus Samad, admitted to the arrest of Mostofa but denied torturing the four persons. SI Abdus Samad alleges that Mostofa and his brother Elahi Box are corrupt and cheat persons in the area. The authorities have not taken any action regarding this case.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the persons listed below and urge them to ensure a fair and impartial investigation into this case. Please also urge the Government of Bangladesh to pay appropriate compensation to the victims. The security of the victims must be ensured.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
BANGLADESH: Four persons, including a pregnant woman, tortured by the Paikgachha police in Khulna district
Names of victims:
1. Mrs. Anjuman Ara Parvin (34), wife of Mr. Elahi Box Sardar, living in Sarol village, under the Paikgachha police station in Khulna district
2. Mrs. Anwara Begum (40), wife of Mr. Mostofa Sardar, living in Sarol village, under the Paikgachha police station in Khulna district
3. Mr. Mostofa Sardar (45), son of the late Mr. Mofazzel Sardar, living in Sarol village, under the Paikgachha police station in Khulna district
4. Mr. Khairul Sardar, son of Mr. Elahi Box Sardar, living in Sarol village, under the Paikgachha police station in Khulna district
Names of the alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Abdus Samad, Police Sub Inspector, Paikgachha police station, Khulna district
2. Mr. Asad, Police Constable, Paikgachha police station, Khulna district
3. Mr. Ashraf, Police Constable, Paikgachha police station, Khulna district
Place of incident: The house of the victims at Sarol village under Paikgachha police station, Khulna district
Date of incident: 3 May 2006
I am writing to draw your attention to the alleged incident of torture of four persons, including a pregnant woman, by the Paikgachha police in Khulna district.
According to the information I have received, on 3 May 2006, Sub Inspector (SI) of the Paikgachha police station, Mr. Abdus Samad, ordered two police constables, Mr. Asad, and Mr. Ashraf, to arrest two persons of Saral village. The two constables went to the house of Mr. Elahi Box Sardar to arrest them; however, he was not at home at that time. The police then went to Mr. Mostofa Sardar 's house and attempted to arrest him. Mostofa's wife, Mrs. Anwara Begum, sister-in-law, Mrs. Anjuman Ara Parvin and son, Mr. Khairul objected to the police action and asked for the reason of arrest. The two constables then kicked Mrs. Anjuman Ara, who was pregnant, with their boots in her lower abdomen. As a result, Mrs. Anjuman became faint. The police also used boots, sticks and fists to beat Mostofa, his brother Elahi Box's wife, Mrs. Anwara and son, Khairul. The policemen also verbally abused the victims. Mr. Mostofa was then arrested without any reason and taken to the Paikgachha police station. The policemen proceeded to beat Mostofa on the way to the police station in public and again once in custody. He was detained in the police station for the night. At midnight, one of his brothers, who is a government officer, was accompanied by the local elites and persuaded the police to release Mostofa from detention. Following the request, the police then released Mostofa.
I have learned that the four victims received considerable injuries and required medial treatment from the Paikgachha Upazilla Health Complex. Among them was Mrs. Anjuman Ara who was bleeding from her genitalia and was sent to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) for specialised treatment. Mostofa was also asked to see a specialist doctor for his injuries inflicted by the police torture.
I am aware that SI Mr. Abdus Samad admitted to the arrest of Mostofa, but denied torturing the four persons. I am also aware that the authorities have not taken any action against the alleged perpetrators regarding this case.
In light of this, I strongly urge you to ensure an impartial investigation into the actions of the policemen. If the alleged perpetrators are found guilty, then they must be held accountable for the crimes they committed. Appropriate compensation must be paid to the victims for the injuries they have suffered.
I trust your intervention will be forthcoming.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS 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
E-mail: pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org (to the Secretary)
2. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
The Ministry of Home Affairs
The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 7169069 (O) or 8359000 (R)
Fax: +880 2 7160405, +880 2 7164788
3. Mr. Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562792
Fax: +880 2 9565058
4. Mr. A J Mohammad Ali
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562868
Fax: +880 2 9561568
5. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9562054 or 7176451 or 7176677 (O), +880 2 8362552 or 8362553 (R)
Fax: +880 2 9563362 or 9563363
6. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Khulna Range
Bangladesh Police
Office of the DIG of Khulna Range
Khulna
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 041 624100 (O)
Fax: +88 041 721358 (O)
7. Prof. Manfred Nowak
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture
Attn: Mr. Safir 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. 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)
Email: vbirga@ohchr.org / urgent-action@ohchr.org (please also cc: rrico@ohchr.org)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
