Human Rights violations puts stigma on Bangladesh

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in a statement last week expressed its concern over the escalating human rights violations in Bangladesh that overshadowed an unfree and unfair parliamentary elections.

The statement issued ahead of parliamentary elections in Bangladesh noted with concern that political violence across the country claimed 52 reported deaths and 4,213 persons injured in November. Of these, five people were allegedly shot dead by law enforcement agencies during demonstrations. Over the same month, 20 journalists were injured, two assaulted and three threatened, with four reporters facing charges filed against them.

The situation in Bangladesh further deteriorated after the Election Commission declared that it would proceed with the 10th parliamentary elections, due to take place on 5 January 2014, without reaching any compromise with the major political parties.

The FIDH further observed that the removal of the caretaker government system through a 15th Amendment to the Bangladeshi Constitution in 2011 was a key factor behind the current crisis as several elections had formerly been conducted under this system. Opposition parties claim that the Government lacked the mandate to make such changes to the Constitution.

On 11 December, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, concluded a five-day visit to Bangladesh to broker a political deal ahead of the elections. However, on 13 December, the Jatiya Party led by H.M. Ershad – one of the present government’s allies – withdrew a number of its candidates from the elections, allowing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to proceed with only minimal opposition.

The main opposition parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have, over past weeks, declared rail, road and waterway blockades and general strikes seeking to postpone the election schedule and demanding that the elections be held under a neutral government.

Widespread human rights violations have followed. In particular, some protesters have fallen victim to indiscriminate police firing while other incidents such as arson and petrol bombs attacks on public transport have led to serious injuries and deaths. Children have not been spared. In addition, cases have been filed against a number of unknown persons, with accused individuals allegedly tortured in remand after arrest. Neither the Government nor the opposition has so far taken any responsibility for these casualties, instead blaming each other.

On 12 December, one of the Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, 65 year-old Abdul Quader Molla, was executed after the Supreme Court of Bangladesh rejected his appeal against the decision by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) to commute his life sentence into a death sentence on 17 September. He was the first person to be executed following a death sentence laid down by the ICT. This has already sparked further violence in Bangladesh: on the following day, at least 4 people died as a result of street clashes between political militants.

Under such tumultuous circumstances, FIDH calls upon the international community to monitor the human rights situation in the country and to make the a set of recommendations to the Government of Bangladesh for improving the human rights situation in the country.

It asked the government to refrain from using repressive methods while a peaceful solution to the on-going political crisis is urgently needed. Law enforcement agencies must stop indiscriminate firing and torture in custody. The perpetrators of politically-motivated violence must also be brought to justice.

It also asked the government to stop mass arrests of people and cases filed against ‘unknown’ persons that lead to human rights abuses. All political prisoners should be released, suggested the international group.

It further asserted that human rights defenders should be protected and freedom of expression be respected. The Government must not obstruct freedom of expression and should withdraw the ban on media, including those imposed on Amar Desh, Channel 1, Diganta TV and Islamic TV. The acting editor of the daily Amar Desh, Mahmudur Rahman, must be released immediately. Any act of violence and harassment, including at the judicial level, against human rights defenders should be brought to an end.

It strongly recommended for eliminating all forms of torture and ill-treatment. In spite of being a signatory to the UN Convention against Torture since 1998, the Government of Bangladesh has so far not been able to eliminate practices akin to torture. In particular, deaths in custody remain frequent. The recent adoption of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act last October must be followed by effective implementation.

The FIDH called upon the government to repeal the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 and Anti-Terrorism Act 2009. National counter-terrorism policies must be confined to the strict limits imposed by international human rights law, including provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Bangladesh has ratified.

Notwithstanding concerns long raised by FIDH about the vague definition of ’terrorist’ activities in the Anti-Terrorism Act, new amendments to the Act have further opened the door to arbitrary applications. A 2012 amendment included crimes punishable by death. The Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 criminalises opinions expressed online through social media, websites or blogs. A 2013 amendment to the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 has raised the penalty available for this offence to 14 years of imprisonment (from 10 years) and excluded offences under this law from being subject to bail (being formerly bailable) whilst making them cognizable.

And finally, the FIDH called upon the global community to put pressure on Bangladesh for abolishing the death penalty.

FIDH calls upon the Government of Bangladesh to repeal the death penalty, which is a violation to the right to life, as well as being a cruel and degrading form of punishment. In addition to denouncing last week’s execution of a prisoner sentenced to death by the ICT, which in no way responded to victims’ rights to truth, justice and reparation, FIDH urges the Bangladeshi courts to commute the recent sentences to death of 152 soldiers for the involvement in the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny.

Source: Weekly Holiday