Investigate attacks on journos, activists
Amnesty International yesterday urged authorities in Bangladesh to look into the “ongoing violent attacks on journalists and activists” ahead of the 11th parliamentary elections.
In a statement, the international human rights watchdog asked authorities to “immediately release those activists who have been arrested arbitrarily”.
Condemning recent attacks on journalists and activists, Amnesty International's South Asia campaigner Saad Hammadi in the statement said, “The authorities must impartially investigate these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice. Such incidents are detrimental to a peaceful atmosphere for people to exercise their civil and political rights.”
The statement referred to the incident of December 24 when, it said, at least 12 journalists on duty to cover the elections at a Dhaka constituency came under attack and 16 vehicles carrying them were damaged by a group of 30-35 attackers in the capital's Nawabganj area. The guest house where the journalists were staying also came under attack.
The authorities must protect the rights of people as contained in Bangladesh's constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other international standards which Bangladesh has agreed to follow, said the statement.
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