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 / July

Bangladesh: No proper investigation into allegations of torture and ill-treatment in police custody

Case BGD 130712

Alleged torture and ill-treatment/ Death threats/ No proper investigation/ Risk of impunity

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 torture and ill-treatment of Mr. Mohammad Abu Reza Roni Meradona, 25 years old and owner of a business called “Auto Mobile Servicing”, and Mr. Mohammad Habibur Rahman Habib, 21 years old and a student, from Shrimontopur village, early 2012. OMCT is concerned that, to date, no proper investigation has been reportedly carried out into these allegations and that the perpetrator has not been brought to justice.

According to the information received, on a day between 8 January and 28 February 2012 (exact date unclear) Sub Inspector (SI) Nurujjaman Bishwas came to Mr.Mohammad Abu Reza RoniMeradona’s shop to inquire about Mr. Shorif Hossain’s disappearance that occurred on 7 January 2012. This latter was Mr. Meradona’s neighbour in the village and used to come to his shop together with Mr. Mohammad Habibur Rahman Habib as they were studying in the city. Mr. Meradona reportedly told the Sub Inspector that they had not been in contact any more. He was taken to the Magura Sadar Police Station twice in these two months, where he was slapped and kicked for two days and questioned about Mr. Hossain. After those two days, he gave a bribe of 5000 taka to SI Nurujjaman and signed a bond to be released.

According to the same information, on 29 February 2012 around 11 pm, SI Nurujjaman came back to Mr. Mohammad Abu Reza RoniMeradona’s house. After waking up his parents and brother, Mr. Mohammad Abu Reza RoniMeradona was handcuffed and dragged to a nearby police van, without being informed of the reasons for his arrest. Mr. Meradona did not ask for these reasons either as, according to the bond he had signed before, he was obliged to be present at the police station when called upon. Mr. Meradona’s father reportedly gave SI Nurujjaman a bribe of 5000 taka’s to prevent his son from being tortured, upon which the SI told him to come to Magura Sadar Police Station the next morning. The police van then drove to Mr. Habib’s residence, where he was picked up as well around 11.30 pm. Mr. Habib was handcuffed and informed by the SI that he was arrested as a suspect in the missing of Mr. Hossain. The van went subsequently to the Magura Sadar Police Station where Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib were kept all night.

On 1 March 2012 around 8 am Mr. Meradona was reportedly blindfolded and taken to another room by SI Nurujjaman, where he was handcuffed to the window grill. The SI beat him with a stick on different parts of his body, including his legs, back and both arms, while he kept questioning Mr. Meradona about the disappearance of Mr. Hossain. Around 9 am Mr. Meradona’s father came in the room where he saw his son being beaten up, and asked the SI to stop. SI Nurujjaman however called the sentry and ordered his removal from the police station. When Mr. Meradona’s father came back, he gave the SI another bribe of 2500 taka’s to request for Mr. Meradona’s release, but was removed from the police station. Mr. Habib’s brother also went to the police station that same day, where he saw that his brother and Mr. Meradona were beaten while being questioned about Mr. Hussain.  

When Mr. Meradona refused to give a false confession to the SI, the latter allegedly threatened him by saying that he might die in crossfire. Later that same day, Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib were brought to Magura District Jail. When entering they were asked if they had been tortured, but they denied. According to Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib they did not inform the prison guard about the torture out of fear, as the SI had threatened them that they would be tortured again if they would tell anyone about it. The next morning, on 2 March 2012, Mr. Habib’s brother went to the District Jail where he found out that Mr. Habib was ill. He was able to bring some medicine and give those to Mr. Habib. The prison guard stated that he also called the doctor in the jail, and ensured their primary medical treatment; however, the victims did not have access to a doctor outside the jail.

Mr. Habib and Mr. Meradona got bail on 28 March 2012, and their case is pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. They have access to a lawyer of their own choice, and the next hearing is set on 23 August 2012.

According to the same information received, on 4 March 2012 an application was filed on behalf of Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib before the Division Bench of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court seeking redress. The court reportedly ordered the competent Bangladeshi authorities to respond to the allegations, after which the Police Superintendant formed an investigation team of three members. This committee reportedly submitted a primary investigation report to the Police Superintendant, in which it found the allegations of torture to be true. However, only a departmental case was filed against SI Nurujjaman (an inquiry within the police department that can lead for example to a reprimand or demotion). While this investigation is going on, the SI has been temporarily suspended and withdrawn from the Magura Sadar Police Station. However, there are also fears that he will just be redeployed in another police station.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the alleged acts of torture and ill-treatment inflicted upon Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib in police custody, and the lack of proper investigation into these allegations. OMCT recalls that the authorities of Bangladesh have to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law to protect the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and to bringing to justice those responsible for violating this right.

Therefore, OMCT calls on the competent authorities to ensure that an investigation is carried out promptly, effectively, thoroughly, independently and impartially into these allegations, in accordance with international human rights standards, the result of which must be made public, in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply adequate sanctions.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh urging them to:

i.               Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohammad Abu Reza Roni Meradona and Mr. Mohammad Habibur Rahman Habib;

ii.              Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the aformentioned facts, notably the allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Mr. Meradona and Mr. Habib, 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;

iii.            Ensure that an effective remedy, including the right to full redress with compensation and rehabilitation, be granted to the victims concerned;

iv.            Guarantee 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. Shahara Khatun, Minister for Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: +88-02-716967, Email: minister@mha.gov.bd

Ø Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: +88-02-7168557, Email: info@minlaw.gov.bd

Ø Mr.Hassan Mahmood Khandker, Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, Phoenix Road, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh, Fax: +88-02-9563362, 9563363, 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, 13 July 2012

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

Properties

Date: July 13, 2012
Activity: Urgent campaigns
Type: Urgent Interventions
Country: Bangladesh
Subjects: Justice system, 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