JOINT PRESS RELEASE
Paris-Geneva-Hong-Kong,
December 23, 2016 - Bangladesh’s Supreme
Court has so far refused to grant journalist
Mahmudur Rahman, recently released from 1,322 days in arbitrary detention, the
right to travel abroad for urgent surgery, despite the serious risk of
irreversible neurological damage he faces. The Observatory for the Protection
of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT) and the Asian Human Rights Commission
(AHRC) call on the Chief Justice to authorise Mr. Rahman’s travel without
further delay.
When
Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, Acting editor of the Daily Amar Desh, a
national daily newspaper in Bangladesh, was released on bail from Kashimpur Jail on November
24, 2016, he was directly transferred to United Hospital in Dhaka for medical
assessment and treatment, as his health had severely deteriorated during his
prolonged arbitrary detention due to ill treatment and lack of access to proper
medical care. After several days of medical examinations, doctors at United
Hospital concluded that Mr. Rahman, 64 years old, was suffering from a variety
of ailments including hypertension; vitamin deficiency, vertigo, intestinal
bleeding and serious weight loss. Most importantly, he was diagnosed with
spondylosis of his cervical and lumbar spine which prevents him from sleeping
or walking properly. The expert neurosurgeon at United Hospital concluded that
Mr. Rahman had to undergo urgent surgery to address this spinal problem, preferably
abroad since the medical facilities available in Bangladesh are inadequate to
address this issue.
Following
this diagnosis, Mr. Rahman’s family contacted a renown neurosurgeon in the
United Kingdom, who upon analysing Mr. Rahman's medical file, also concluded
that if he does not undergo surgery soon, he is at risk of permanent
neurological damage to his sciatic nerves. The neurosurgeon therefore referred
Mr. Rahman to a specialist in London who could perform the surgery and
contacted the British Embassy in Bangladesh to request that they facilitate Mr.
Rahman’s travel to the UK to undergo surgery.
As
Mr. Rahman’s passport has been confiscated by the Bangladeshi authorities, his
lawyers presented a petition on December 12, 2016 before the Appellate Division
of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, asking for the authorities to return Mr.
Rahman’s passport. Disregarding the multiple expert medical opinions that has
already concluded that Mr. Rahman requires urgent medical intervention abroad,
the Chief Justice ordered Mr. Rahman to pay for another examination by a
Medical Board organised by the Director of the Dhaka Medical College and
Hospital to determine whether Mr. Rahman requires surgery abroad. It must be
noted that this Hospital is run by the Ministry of Health, and its Director is
a Brigadier General in the military, which leads to credible concerns about the
political neutrality of this Medical Board, especially since Mr. Rahman is a
well-known critic of the Government.
The
designated Medical Board is set to examine Mr. Rahman on December 26, 2016 and
to submit their report to the Supreme Court shortly thereafter. It will then be
up to the discretion of the Chief Justice to order Mr. Rahman’s passport to be
returned and that he be allowed to travel abroad for surgery. Our organisations
call on the Chief Justice to order that Mr. Rahman be allowed to travel abroad
for urgent surgery, in order to end his continuous physical suffering and
prevent further medical problems including permanent damage to his nerves. We
also call on the British authorities to facilitate Mr. Rahman’s visa and travel
to the UK so that he may be able to undergo this urgent surgery.
The Observatory for the
Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by
FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this
programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against
human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu,
the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by
international civil society.
The Asian Human Rights
Commission (AHRC) works towards the radical rethinking and fundamental
redesigning of justice institutions in order to protect and promote human
rights in Asia. Established in 1984, the Hong Kong based organisation is a
Laureate of the Right Livelihood Award 2014.
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