National Election: 3 UN officials voice worry over rights situation
Three UN human rights special rapporteurs expressed deep concern over the human rights situation in Bangladesh just ahead of the national polls.
The rights experts are Irene Khan, the special rapporteur on freedom of expression; Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, special rapporteur on rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and Mary Lawlor, special rapporteur on human rights defenders.
In a statement circulated by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, they said, "As Bangladesh heads towards national elections in early 2024, we are deeply disturbed by the sharp rise in political violence, arrests of senior opposition leaders, mass arbitrary detention of thousands of political activists, use of excessive force by the authorities and internet shutdowns to disrupt protests, and allegations of harassment, intimidation and unlawful detention of family members as a retaliatory measure.
"The weaponisation of the judicial system to attack journalists, human rights defenders and civil society leaders diminishes the independence of the judiciary and erodes fundamental human rights."
They added, "The severe crackdown against workers demanding fair wages and political activists calling for free and fair elections, judicial harassment of journalists, human rights defenders and civil society leaders, and failure to reform laws suppressing freedom of expression in Bangladesh are grave concerns."
They further said the ongoing harassment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, investigative journalist Rozina Islam or human rights defenders like Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan as a form of retaliation for their work "sends a chilling message that any dissent or critical opinion may lead to the most severe sanctions, no matter how outrageous the accusations or how prominent the person".
"Despite promises from the government of significant legal change ... the new Cyber Security Act has made only few improvements and continues to retain many of the flaws of the legislation, threatening the legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression."
The UN officials also urged the international community to press Bangladesh to ensure a conducive environment for a free and fair polls.
Comments