The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) condemns the torture of journalist Mr. Mahmudur Rahman under police custody and calls on the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to investigate and hold accountable those responsible. The AFAD also asks Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government to provide necessary medical care to Mr. Rahman and ensure his health and safety while in detention.

The case of Mr. Rahman, now confined at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) reportedly due to severe torture wounds, is an affront to your commitment to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

As stipulated in Article 2 of the Convention, not even a threat of war or political instability may allow a government to invoke to justify torture, including an order from a superior officer or public authority.

Further, his situation contradicts the very principles of “People’s Empowerment and Development” resolution you have successfully forwarded to the international community, through the United Nations (A/RES/66/224, unanimously approved last 28 March 2012) as a model to “bring hope, succor and redress for the disempowered and marginalized all over the world.” Such model recognized the importance of giving voice to the voiceless and marginalized, social equity and safety, among others.^[1]

Freedom of speech is a core principle of empowerment. Journalists like Mr. Rahman play a crucial role of expanding the voices of the marginalized so that their needs, interests and demands can be heard of by government. Silencing them is tantamount to silencing the voices of the poor and marginalized.

Accountability and rule of law is also a crucial principle for a government to move towards genuine development. Journalists like Mr. Rahman and civil society organizations monitor government’s compliance to international human rights obligations. Easing out the space for journalists and civil society organizations to freely and critically engage with government is a dangerous sign for a supposedly democratic country like Bangladesh.

The AFAD as a regional federation of human rights organizations focused on enforced disappearance values the role of the press in covering cases of enforced disappearances and other human rights issues.

It thus calls on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be firm in its human rights commitment and respect the very core principles of human rights and empowerment as inspired by her “People’s Empowerment and Development” model. Its strict implementation is within the purview of her authority.

Further, Bangladesh is scheduled to report its human rights performance to the United Nations through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process this 29th of April. The torture of Mr. Rahman is contradictory to its earlier commitments made in the February 2009 UPR review to “undertake measures to protect the rights of journalists and human rights defenders and further its efforts to improve the human rights situation on the ground.”^[2]

Finally, the AFAD reiterates its call for the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“SPT”) to send a delegation to Bangladesh to look into allegations of torture of detainees and related issues. It also calls on the World Organisation Against Torture to do a similar investigation.

Signed and authenticated by:

MUGIYANTO
Chairperson

MARY AILEEN BACALSO
Secretary-General

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Notes:

¹ United Nations Social Development Network, accessed at http://unsdn.org/?p=1136

² Database of UPR Recommendations, retrieved from http://www.upr-info.org/database