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Urgent campaigns / Urgent Interventions / Bangladesh / 2011 / May

Bangladesh: Alleged enforced disappearance of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam in Dakha Metropolitan City, Khulna, North Shahjahanpur

Case BGD 130511

Enforced disappearance/ Fear for the safety

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by ODHIKAR, a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the alleged enforced disappearance, from the 15 February 2011, of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, a 41-year–old salesman from Dakha Metropolitan City, Khulna, North Shahjahanpur. It is reported that he disappeared after he was arrested by Rapid Action Batalion (RAB) members. OMCT is gravely concerned because to date the whereabouts of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam remain unknown.

According to the information collected by ODHIKAR, on 15 February 2011 at around 4pm, RAB members, several dressed in plain clothes and others in uniform and riding in three pickup vans, handcuffed Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam near his workplace, located at 620 North Shahjahanpur in Dhaka Metropolitan City, and took him to an unknown destination without giving any reason.

According to the same information, on 15 February 2011, Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam's son-in-law Mr. Mohammad Shada Mia, and Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam's employer Mr. ASM Salem went to the RAB-3 Officelocated at Dhaka Metropolitan to look for Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam. After failing to do so, they went to the Motijheel Police Station to file a General Diary (GD), but the police refused to accept the GD because at first it was an allegation against RAB and they ask them to keep searching for a while before filing such GD. As Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam didn't reappeared, Mr. Mohammad Shada Mia returned, on 22 February 2011, to Motijheel Police Station and eventually filed a General Diary, numbered 1574 and dated 22/02/2011. The aforementioned police reportedly informed all police stations about Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam’s disappearance.

                                                                                                 

It is reported that RAB-3 Office's Commanding Officer and the Legal Media Wing of RAB forces headquarters denied that RAB members arrested someone named Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, on 15 February 2011. But eyewitnesses opined that on 15 February 2011, RAB members had picked up shopkeeper Mohammad Rafiqul Islam from 620, North Shahajanpur, in front of many people and in broad daylight.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the safety of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam and fears that he was victim of an extra-judicial killing.

OMCT recalls that the authorities in Bangladesh have to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law to protect the right to life and the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. OMCT is furthermore gravely concerned that no effective investigation had permitted until today to find Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.

Accordingly, OMCT calls on the competent authorities to ensure that the investigation into the enforced disappearence of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam is carried out promptly, effectively, thoroughly, independently and impartially, in accordance with international human rights standards, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh urging them to:

i.                     Immediately locate and disclose the whereabouts of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam;

ii.                   Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam;

iii.                  Grant Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam prompt and unconditional access to a lawyer of his choice and his family, as well as guarantee that he is examined by an independent doctor and receives adequate medical care, in accordance, inter alia, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;

iv.                 Order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges that are consistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist, bring him before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee his procedural rights at all times;

v.                   Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the enforced disappearence of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, in accordance with international human rights standards, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

vi.                 Ensure that an effective remedy, including the right to full redress with compensation be granted to the victim concerned;

vii.                Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

Ø      Ms. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, Gona Bhaban, Old Sangsad Bhaban, Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: + 880 2 8113243 Email: info@pmo.gov.bd ; pm@pmo.gov.bd

Ø      Ms. Sahara Khatun, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh Fax: +880 2 7169667 or +880 2 717 1611 Email: minister@mha.gov.bd

Ø      Mr. Shafiq Ahmed, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs,  Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: +880 2 7168557 Email: minoflaw@bdonline.com , info@minlaw.gov.bd

Ø      Dr. Dipu Moni, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Minister, Dr. Dipu Moni, Fax: + 880 2 9562188, Email: dirfe@mofa.gov.bd

Ø      Mr. Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Fax: + 880 2 7164788, Email: secretary@mha.gov.bd

Ø      Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Gulpheshan Plaza (Level-11), 8, Shahid Sangbadik Selina Parvin Sarak, Boro Magbazar, Dhaka-1217, Bangladesh. Fax: + 880 2 9137743. E-mail: nhrc.bd@gmail.com

Ø      Mr. Mahbubey Alam, Attorney General for Bangladesh, Attorney General's Office, Supreme Court Premises, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Fax: + 880 2 9561568 E-mail: adv_mahbubey@yahoo.com

Ø      Mr. Hasan Mahmud Khandoker, Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, Phoenix Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh, Fax: +880 2 7125840 E-mail: ig@police.gov.bd

Ø      Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Nations in Geneva, 65 rue de Lausanne, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 738 46 16, E-mail: mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int

Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.

***

Geneva, 13 May 2011

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

Properties

Date: May 13, 2011
Activity: Urgent campaigns
Type: Urgent Interventions
Country: Bangladesh
Subjects: Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances

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