[RE: UP-112-2006: BANGLADESH: Court dismisses charges against alleged perpetrators; UP-101-2006: BANGLADESH: Judicial Probe Commission ignores specific complaint against the Mohammadpur police; UP-096-2006: BANGLADESH: Court orders supplementary investigation following disputed Judicial Probe Commission report; UP-083-2006: BANGLADESH: Police defy High Court order by continuing to make threats; UP-062-2006: BANGLADESH: Harassment and threats continue towards victim despite a High Court ruling ordering the alleged perpetrators to stop; UP-058-2006: BANGLADESH: Police seriously intimidate and threaten victim, her husband and her witnesses; UA-105-2006: BANGLADESH: Pregnant woman tortured by police in Dhaka]
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UP-114-2006: BANGLADESH: Safety measures must be taken to ensure the lives of Shahin Sultana Santa and her husband
BANGLADESH: Torture; arbitrary arrest; harassment; lack of witness protection; intimidation; threats; denial of trial; collapse of rule of law
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes with grave fear for the safety of Shahin Sultana Santa, a woman who we have repeatedly reported was tortured by the police in Dhaka, and her husband (please see UA-105-2006). Having received numerous threats over the phone and in person, the couple has once again faced threats and intimidation by unknown persons. The situation has reached a point that both Santa and her husband fear for their lives and are urgently waiting for the authorities to intervene.
In the latest incident, on May 24 Santas husband, Mr. Atiur Rahman was attacked by unknown persons as he was leaving his chambers. The attackers held a pistol to Atiurs chest and threatened to shoot him. They also repeatedly asked him for his name and stole his mobile phone.
That same morning, Atiurs legal assistant, Mr. Nawsher Ahmed, went to collect documents from the record office, regarding Santas case, at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates (CMM) Court. At around 9am, three plain clothed persons, believed to be police, confronted Nawsher demanding to know if he worked for Atiur. When he explained that he did, the three men asked where they might find Atiur. The men then proceeded to stalk Nawsher and Atiur for the remainder of the day and prevented them from obtaining the documents they required from the CMM. However, eventually the documents were obtained.
In a further incident, on May 23 an unidentified person called Atiur and warned him against proceeding with legal claims against the police. The caller said if he did not do this, then Atiur and his family would pay the ultimate cost.
The seriousness and frequency of these threats require urgent intervention. The fear is that should they continue, and should the authorities in Bangladesh insist in failing Santa justice, then serious harm may come to Santa and Atiur.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below urging them to intervene immediately into this case so that the security of Santa and her husband can be ensured.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _______________,
BANGLADESH: Safety measures must be taken to ensure the lives of Shahin Sultana Santa and her husband
I am writing to express my grave fear for the safety of Shahin Sultana Santa and her husband. Santa, you will no doubt be aware, was allegedly tortured by police officers belonging to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on 12 March 2006. You will also be aware of the numerous threats against and attacks on Santa and her husband, Mr. Atiur Rahman.
It is with extreme concern that I write to you once again to inform you that the couple has once more faced threats and intimidation by unknown persons. The situation has reached a point that both Santa and her husband fear for their lives and are urgently waiting for the authorities to intervene.
In the latest incident, on May 24 Santas husband, Mr. Atiur Rahman was attacked by unknown persons as he was leaving his chambers. The attackers held a pistol to Atiurs chest and threatened to shoot him. They also repeatedly asked him for his name and stole his mobile phone.
That same morning, Atiurs legal assistant, Mr. Nawsher Ahmed, went to collect documents from the record office, regarding Santas case, at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates (CMM) Court. At around 9am, three plain clothed persons, believed to be police, confronted Nawsher demanding to know if he worked for Atiur. When he explained that he did, the three men asked where they might find Atiur. The men then proceeded to stalk Nawsher and Atiur for the remainder of the day and prevented them from obtaining the documents they required from the CMM. Howver, eventually the documents were obtained.
In a further incident, on May 23 an unidentified person called Atiur and warned him against proceeding with legal claims against the police. The caller said if he did not do this, then Atiur and his family would pay the ultimate cost.
I strongly urge the authorities in Bangladesh to intervene in this matter before further harm is done to Santa and Atiur and before something of a much more extreme nature occurs. Should the authorities continue to fail Santa in ensuring her safety and in denying her justice, then any harm done to her or her husband will be on their hands. I trust that the authorities do not wish the situation to get to this stage and that they will therefore intervene immediately to ensure the lives of Santa and Atiur.
Yours sincerely
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mrs. Begum Khaleda Zia
Prime Minister
Government of the People's 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. Sayed J. R. Mudassir Husain
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562792
Fax: +88-02-9565058
3. 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
4. Mr. Md. Lutfozzaman Babor MP
State Minister
Ministry of Home Affairs
Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-7169069 (O)/ +88-02-8359000 (R)
Fax: +88-02-7160405/ +88-02-7164788 (O)
5. Mr. Abdul Quayum
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-9562054(O)/ +88-02-7176451/ +88-02-7176677
Fax: +88-02-9563362 (O)/ +88-02-9563363
6. Mr. SM Mizanur Rahman
Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)
The DMP Headquarters
1, Shaheed Captain Monsur Ali Road
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88-02-8322746 (O)/ +88-02- 8316248
Fax: +88-02-8322746 (O)
7. Mr. Jalal Ahmed
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka
Dhaka-1100
BANGLADESH
Tel: +88 02 7173707 (O)
Fax: +88 02 7114470 (On request to the Office of ADC Prosecution)
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
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 on Violence against Women)
Email: lohanlon@ohchr.org
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)
E-mail: scronin@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
