London based HR groups called for judicialinvestigations into extrajudicial killings in BD
London, Nov 21 – The Alliance of Human Rights Defenders (AHRD) on Monday called for judicial investigations into alleged extrajudicial killings by Bangladesh security forces and demanded a free and fair general election under a neutral caretaker government.
At a demonstration outside the Bangladesh High Commission here, AHRD leaders submitted a memorandum drawing attention to reports of such killings and seeking justice for victims.
The memorandum enclosed an investigative report titled “Body Count: Extra Judicial Executions in Bangladesh” authored by Sweden-based Netra News and the Australian Anti-Capital Punishment Project. It also included research titled “Bangladesh Awami League: A Study of its Politics and Crimes Against Humanity” by the South Asian Policy Initiative (SAPI).
Speakers at the demonstration reminded that Bangladesh ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in 2010. Hence allegations of grave rights violations should be probed as per ICC guidelines, they said.
Earlier, leaders of AHRD member group Nirapod Bangladesh Chai (NBC) had organized the demonstration demanding release of political prisoners and restoration of rule of law in Bangladesh.
NBC President Muslim Khan alleged that the current regime has taken repressive measures against opposition parties, media and civil society to restrain their constitutional rights. Speakers called for inclusive elections under a caretaker government for people to freely exercise their voting rights.
They urged UN, US, EU and UK authorities to continue supporting the people of Bangladesh in their decade-long struggle to regain democracy and freedom of speech in the country.
NBC President Muslim Khan presided over the meeting while among others AHRD Convenor Shamsul Alam Liton, AHRD Joint Convenor Barrister Afzal Zami, Major (retd) Syed Siddiq, Journalist Oliullah Noman and Advisor of NBC Ashikur Rahman spoke in demonstration. NBC Secretary Tahmid Hossain Khan conducted the event. Later AHRD and NBC delegates handed over the memorandum with relevant document to the Bangladesh High Commission. Head of Chancery and Counsellor Mahfuza Sultana received the memo and reaffirmed that the memo and documents will be sent to the concern authorities at their earliest convenience.
