BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME
URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-HRD-01-09
DATE: March 01, 2009
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BANGLADESH: A Prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh Mr. Shahanur Islam is still under life threats
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Dear Friends
Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact finding report conducted by the fact-finding team of BIHR from August 31 to September 01, 2008 regarding to intimidation of Mr. Shahanur Islam, Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT) by cell phone. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities.
BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
Name of the Victim :Mr. Shahanur Islam, Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT).
During the time of his duties, he moved many cases against the perpetrators as a lawyer and some of them have been punished. He also conducted many investigations and fact-finding missions on human rights violations as well as issued local and international urgent appeals requesting attention to concerned authorities.
Name of the Perpetrators : Higher Authority of law Enforcing Agencies (Unknown)
Date of Incident : August 29, 2008 around at 10.17 pm
General Diary Number : Paltan Police Station GD Number 2014
Date of General Diary : August 31, 2008
FACT DETAILS:
On 29 August 2008 around at 10.17 pm, while Mr. Shahanur Islam was working his desk at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) office, he received a phone call from an unknown person by his cell phone number 01732330005 . The unknown person asked him to disclose his identity and location of his staying that time. Due to security reason Mr. Islam denied to disclose his identity and location and rather asked him to disclose his identity. Mr. Islam also told him that if the caller disclosed his identity ago, he would disclose his identity. The person also denied disclosing his identity again asked to disclose his identity with angry. During the time of their conversation the caller threatened him by stating that he has a highest identity (highest authority of law enforcing agencies) and he would disclose Mr. Islam’s identity as well as punished him as soon as possible. At once the caller said that he knows Mr. Islam well but he does not know his residential address and if he knew his residential address, he would come to his house as well as gave him exemplary punishment. Later, the caller told that Mr. Islam is going to face more suffering within a short time due to his denial of disclosing identity and location. The caller also used filthy language as well as does misbehavior with Mr. Islam. Following the incident Mr. Islam Saikot filed General Diary at the Paltan Police Station in DMP that No-2014 on August 31, 2008.
Mr. Islam Saikot is assuming and apprehending that the caller may be a higher officer of law enforcing agency (Specially Higher officer of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and he could arrest Mr. Islam implicating with false and concocted cases at any time as well as torture him brutally. He is also frightening apprehending that it is not impossible to kill him by cross fire.
BIHR FINDINGS:
This is not any isolated instance of such threats on human rights defenders in Bangladesh. It is a very common phenomenon for the professionals like human rights defenders of Bangladesh facing death threats from the law-enforcing agencies and security forces. It is well-known that Bangladesh has cultivated one of the best cultures of impunity to alleged perpetrators of human rights abuses despite the nation’s presence in the UN Human Rights Council since May 2006. Instead of improving the country’s human rights records the government of Bangladesh has paved the ways to degrade the rights of the citizens through various means of violations.
RECOMENDATION:
- take all necessary measures to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Shahanur Islam;
- order a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned death threats, the result of which must be made public, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law;
- put an end to all acts of harassment against Mr. Shahanur Islam as well as against all human rights defenders in Bangladesh;
- comply with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, as well as Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;
- guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international human rights instruments ratified by Bangladesh.
SUGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the relevant authorities to investigate this alleged incident of violence ensuring the physical security the victim Mr. Shahanur Islam and his family. We trust that you will take immediate action regarding this serious matter and look forward to your favorable response.
Thank You
Adv. Mohammed Alamgir
Vice President
Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)
27, Bijoy Nagar, B-17, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Phone: +88 017 20308080; Fax: + 88 028352166; Skype: bihr.bd
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