The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, calls on the government of Bangladesh to drop the charges against Odhikar officials and stop its attacks against the organization as well as the civil and political rights of its citizens.

Odhikar Director, Mr. ASM Nasiruddin Elan and Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary, were both charged of violating Sections 57 (1) and (2) of the Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006 (amended in 2013 immediately after the arrest of Adilur) for allegedly distorting facts in its documentation report of the violence committed by the authorities against a protest activity of Hefazat-e-Islam in May 2013. The government without substantiating denied the report of Odhikar and in retaliation escalated its attacks against Odhikar by arresting its office bearers, raiding its office and confiscating office files and computers. Further, the NGO Affairs Bureau under the office of the Prime Minister also blocked the release of Odhikar funds.

AFAD would like to emphasize that truth can neither be whitewashed nor can the Bangladeshi authorities silence those committed to telling the truth, so therefore instead of persecuting the Odhikar members the Bangladesh government should immediately withdraw the fabricated case.

On 8th January 2014, during the hearing at the Cyber Crimes Tribunal, Advocate Bhuiyan, representing the Odhikar submitted a report of the Information Technology expert of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stating that it could not establish a basis for the supposed commission of offense by Elan and Adil under the Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006. The next date of hearing is set on 21 January.

In the recently concluded elections amidst large scale violence which resulted in the killings of 59 persons and disappearance of 10 persons, the boycott of the main opposition and the allegations of electoral fraud, the sustained attacks against Odhikar are part of the unfair means by which the ruling party wants to remain in power and silence all the voices of dissent.

AFAD reminds the government that its actions against Odhikar and its citizens are contrary to its commitment to comply with the United Nations recommendations made during its Universal Periodic Review in April 2013. Bangladesh accepted the recommendations to “take measures to protect human rights defenders, including journalists; further continue its efforts to improve the human rights situation on the ground…and take further measures aimed at raising awareness about human rights among the population at large” (http://www.upr-info.org/).

AFAD reiterates that as State party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the government of Bangladesh is duty bound to uphold the rights of Odhikar and its members in speaking out the truth about the state of human rights in the country as these are results of the latter’s field investigations and fact-finding missions. AFAD also urges the international community to register their concern on the human rights situation in Bangladesh by asking their respective governments to exert diplomatic pressure on the government of Bangladesh to adhere to its human rights obligations.

Signed and authenticated by:

MUGIYANTO
Chairperson

MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO
Secretary-General