Amnesty’s 10-point human rights charter for Bangladesh ahead of nat’l polls
Amnesty International has urged Bangladesh to ensure that all arrests are carried out in accordance with international human rights law and standards, including the right to a free and fair trial and the right to be brought promptly before a judge.
This also includes the right to have access to legal counsel and to family as soon as possible.
The global rights body made recommendations for Bangladesh in a 10-point human rights charter ahead of the January 7 national election.
The statement, circulated yesterday, plots a ten-point charter for protecting human rights in Bangladesh in the coming year.
It urged Bangladesh to ensure the rights of people to protest.
"Amnesty International verified evidence of unlawful use of force by the law enforcement authorities at a mass protest held on July 29, analysing and geolocating photographs and video footages from the protests and collaborating with eyewitness accounts, which includes firing tear gas near hospitals, assaulting unarmed protesters, people clad in civilian clothing attacking," said the statement.
Amnesty demanded an end to violent repression of workers' protests, and demanded impartial investigations into the deaths of unionists and other protesters in October.
It also demanded accountability for custodial torture and death.
"Allegations of custodial torture and death remain prevalent in Bangladesh, with NGOs such as Odhikar and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) estimating that there were 94 custodial deaths in the first nine months of 2023," they pointed out.
They also recommended that Bangladesh ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and issue a declaration under Article 22 of the Convention Against Torture so individuals facing violations of human rights guaranteed by these treaties can send complaints directly to the Human Rights Committee and Committee Against Torture.