[RE: UP-089-2006: BANGLADESH: Government names the head of the judicial probe commission into the police brutality on journalists; UA-128-2006: BANGLADESH: Journalists beaten by the police at the Chittagong stadium]
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UP-095-2006: BANGLADESH: Government names District Judge to conduct a judicial probe into the police brutality on journalists
BANGLADESH: Torture; intimidation; threat; deprivation of professional duty; collapse of rule of law
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the case of police brutality on journalists at the Chittagong stadium on 16 April 2006. We have now learned that on April 24 the government named the District and Session Judge of Comilla district, Mr. Shawkat Hossain, as the person to conduct a judicial probe into the incident. With the naming of the Judge, it is hoped that the investigation will get underway without any further delay. In further news, the AHRC has also learned that the Bangladesh government has not yet formed the promised committee, which was supposed to suggest for the arrangement of medical treatment for the injured journalists and compensation for the damage of cameras and other equipment. The committee had 10 days to report its findings, but with five days having already passed without the committee having even formed, the likelihood of the report is looking increasingly unlikely. Furthermore, the departmental inquiry to be conducted by a Deputy Inspector of Police, has likewise not yet been submitted to the police.
On April 24, the government of Bangladesh announced that the District and Session Judge of the Comilla district, Mr. Shawkat Hossain, would be responsible for undertaking a judicial probe into the Chittagong stadium incident, and that he would submit a report within 15 days (from the start of his mission) detailing his findings.
While this is welcomed news, it is also learnt that the government has not yet formed the promised seven-member committee headed by the Joint Secretary of the Information Ministry which was to suggest treatment for the injured journalists and compensation after assessing the damage of cameras and other equipment. This report was to be given within 10 days, but with five days having now passed since that promise, and with the committee itself having yet to even form, we remain highly doubtful of the outcome. As a result of this situation, the injured journalists have yet to be afforded any medical treatment by the government nor has any compensation been provided to them.
Likewise, the departmental inquiry to be conducted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police has not yet submitted any findings to the authority. The key perpetrator, the Deputy Commissioner of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police, Mr. Ali Akbor Khan, has not been suspended from his service and is in fact pursuing high-ranking government authorities to prove himself a ‘clean person’.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
BANGLADESH: Government names District Judge to conduct a judicial probe into the police brutality on journalists
I am writing to express my concern regarding developments, or lack thereof, in the incident involving the police brutality of journalists in Chittagong during the second test cricket match between Bangladesh and Australia.
While I acknowledge and welcome the news that the government, on April 24, announced the appointment of District and Session Judge of Comilla district, Mr. Shawkat Hossain, to undertake a judicial probe into the incident, the lack of progress in other areas of this case leave me concerned for the outcome of the judicial probe itself.
I have learned that the government has not yet formed the promised seven-member committee headed by the Joint Secretary of the Information Ministry which was to suggest treatment for the injured journalists and compensation after assessing the damage of cameras and other equipment. This report was to be given within 10 days, but with five days having now passed since that promise, and with the committee itself having yet to even form, I remain highly doubtful of the outcome. As a result of this situation, the injured journalists have not yet been afforded any medical treatment by the government nor has any compensation been provided to them.
Likewise, the departmental inquiry to be conducted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police has not yet submitted any findings to the authorities. The key perpetrator, the Deputy Commissioner of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police, Mr. Ali Akbor Khan, has not been suspended from his service and is in fact pursuing high-ranking government authorities to prove himself a 'clean person'.
Thus, while I welcome the news of Mr. Hossain¡¦s appointment, if the judicial probe is to be constructive then a much more serious and professional approach will have to be applied to it if it is to be more successful than other attempts by the government to bring justice to this case.
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 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
The 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
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562868
Fax: +88-02-9561568
5. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
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
6. Mr. Shawkat Hossain
District and Session Judge
Office of the District and Session Judge
Comilla
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 081 76209 (O) or 76959 (R)
Fax: +88 081 77567 (O)
7. Mr. M Mazedul Haque
Commissioner
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)
CMP Headquarter
Chittagong
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 031 624100 (O)
Fax: +88 031 621565 (O)
8. 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
Thank you.
Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
