After
ten years of relentless judicial harassment, Adilur Rahman Khan and
ASM Nasiruddin Elan, two prominent human rights defenders in
Bangladesh, have been sentenced to two years in prison today. Their
conviction is based on politically motivated charges and aims to
intimidate human rights activists in the country. FIDH and the OMCT,
within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human
Rights Defenders, strongly condemn their conviction and call for
their immediate and unconditional release.
Paris-Geneva,
September 14, 2023 -
Today,
the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka sentenced Adilur
Rahman Khan,
Secretary of the human rights organisation Odhikar, as well as FIDH
Secretary General and a member of the OMCT General Assembly, and ASM
Nasiruddin Elan,
Director of Odhikar, to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine
of 10 000 takab (approximately 85 Euros) each, on charges of
“publishing false images and information” and “disrupting the
law and order situation of the country”. Right after the hearing,
the two human rights defenders were remanded to Dhaka Central Jail
prison. Messrs Khan and Elan’s lawyers are planning to appeal the
ruling once the court issues the written judgement, which could take
months.
“We
are appalled by the conviction of our friends and colleagues Adil and
Elan, two highly esteemed and fearless activists whose only fault is
to have worked tirelessly for years for the defence of fundamental
rights in Bangladesh. Every day they spend detained for this exact
reason is one day too many. We call for their immediate release,”
said Alice
Mogwe, FIDH President.
The
latest episode of an ongoing judicial harassment
In
August 2013, following the publication of a fact-finding report
issued by Odhikar in May 2013 on the killing of civilians by security
forces, Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan were arbitrarily
detained for 62 and 25 days, respectively, before being released on
bail. Since then, they have been subjected to continuous
judicial harassment,
with Bangladeshi courts repeatedly rejecting their motions without
substantial legal grounds, prosecuting witnesses without the consent
of the defendants’ counsel or without leaving them enough time to
prepare for a cross-examination, in clear violation of the
internationally recognised right to a fair trial. Over the years,
Messrs Khan and Elan, as well as Odhikar have been subjected to smear
campaigns, criticised, and demonised by the government for their
human rights work. The renewal of Odhikar’s registration was denied
in June 2022.
“It
is not those who denounce murders who should be punished, but those
who commit them. Today, Adil and Elan - two of the most remarkable
people I have ever met, were unjustly sentenced for exposing
killings. The culprits are still free. As a lawyer, it pains me to
see that this justice system has forgotten its mission and chosen to
become an executioner”
said
Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General.
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