English  |  Français  |  Español
 
OMCT LogoOMCT logo
Make a donationRSSOMCT on FacebookOMCT on TwitterOMCT BlogHomeAbout OMCTActivitiesCATOMCT NetworkOMCT EuropeContactsMake a donation
  • Urgent campaigns
  • Assistance to victims
  • Human rights defenders
  • ESCR
  • Rights of the child
  • Violence against women
  • Monitoring protection mechanisms
 Save as PDF Print version
Urgent campaigns / Urgent Interventions / Bangladesh / 2012 / May

Bangladesh: Enforced disappearance of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah

Case BGD 230512

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 enforced disappearance, since 5 February 2012, of Messrs. Al Mukaddas, 22 years old from Khana Kuniary village (Pirojpur District), and Mohammad Waliullah, 23 years old from West Shoilo Jalia village (Jhalkathi District), both students at the Islamic University, Kustia.

According to the information received, on 5 February 2012 at approximately 1:00 am, Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah were arrested by around eight members of RAB-4 (Rapid Action Battalion[1]) and Detective Branch of Police (DBP) from Savar, while travelling on a bus from Dhaka to Kustia. In the vicinity of Nabinagar (Savar), a white microbus reportedly approached the bus and the aforementioned eight individuals in uniform entered the bus and forcefully took Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah. When the driver asked them where they were taking the two passengers, a DBP member allegedly responded that there were charges against them and that they would be released after interrogation. The whereabouts and fate of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah have remained unknown since then.

According to the same information received, Mr. Al Mukaddas’s uncle and Mr. Mohammad Waliullah’s brother searched for them at different locations, including at the bus company, after being informed of their disappearance. They subsequently inquired about their fate at the RAB-4 office but they were reportedly told that nobody was arrested on 5 February 2012. They filed a General Diary at Darus Salam Police Station and Ashulia Police Station, in Dhaka (on 6 and 8 February 2012). On 12 February 2012, they also filed a habeas corpus writ (writ no. 1536/ 2012) to the Bench of Justice Abdul Awal and Justice Akram Hossain in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court. On 15 February 2012, the Court ordered nine individuals, including the Secretary of the Ministry for Home Affairs, Inspector General of Police (IPG), Director General (DG) of RAB and the Deputy Commission (DC) of Detective Branch (DB) to provide an explanation on the fate of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah within three weeks. However, three weeks later, the nine individuals reportedly informed the Court that they could not gather information about the whereabouts of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah. The Court subsequently requested them to provide the list of the calls made from the cell phones of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah, but they allegedly only submitted a list of some numbers written by hand. The Court rejected the document and ordered them to submit the original call list on 14 April 2012. Since then, the nine individuals have failed to provide the document.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the safety of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah and urges the competent authorities of Bangladesh to immediately locate and disclose their whereabouts. OMCT recalls that the authorities in Bangladesh have to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law to protect the right to life, the right to liberty and security of a person and the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

OMCT also calls on the competent authorities to ensure that an investigation into the enforced disappearence of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah 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 Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah;

ii.              Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah;

iii.            Grant Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah prompt and unrestricted access to a lawyer of their choice and their families, as well as guarantee that they are examined by an independent doctor and receive adequate medical care, in accordance, inter alia, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;

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

v.              Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the enforced disappearence of Messrs. Al Mukaddas and Mohammad Waliullah, 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 victims 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

Ø Ms. Sahara Khatun, Minister for Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Email: mediacell@homemin-bd.org

Ø Barrister Qamrul Islam, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Email: info@minlaw.gov.bd

Ø Mr.Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, Phoenix Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh, Email : ig@police.gov.bd

Ø Ambassador Mr. Abdul Hannan, 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, 23 May 2012

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



[1] The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was established in 2004 as a force to assist the police in combating crime. It is made up of members of the armed forces and the police. 

Properties

Date: May 23, 2012
Activity: Urgent campaigns
Type: Urgent Interventions
Country: Bangladesh
Subjects: Arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, Torture and violence

Share this

Tweet

Languages

This page is available in:

English


You can also translate it on the fly:

Recently Viewed Articles

OMCT International Secretariat
PO Box 21, 8, rue du Vieux-Billard, CH-1211 Geneva 8, Switzerland
Tel: + 41 22 809 4939
Fax: + 41 22 809 4929
E-mail:
OMCT Europe
Rue Franklin 111
1000 Brussels
Tel. / Fax: +32 2 218 37 19
E-mail:
OMCT TUNIS
3, Rue Hassen Ibn Nooman
Cité Jardins | Tunis 1002
Tel: +216 71 791 114
Fax: +216 71 791 115
E-mail:
  • Blog
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Rss
  • Privacy Policy