Update

***French President Hosts Reception for Human Rights Defenders at Élysée Palace***Human Rights Lawyer Shahanur Islam Joins Hands with ARDHIS for Bangladeshi LGBTQI Asylum Seekers in France***New Platform to Fight Discrimination Against LGBTQI+ Community in Bangladesh***Human Rights Advocates Meet with French Ambassador to the Council of Europe ***Bangladesh Needs to Make Further Progress Towards Gender Equality***JusticeMakers Bangladesh calls for justice and protection for religious minorities in Bangladesh***French Human Rights Ambassador Honours HR Defenders at Paris***JusticeMakers Bangladesh is deeply concerned over the harassment against student of Islamic University in Bangladesh***JusticeMakers Bangladesh urges to withdraw the ban of Prity's book "Jonmo O Jonir Itihas" immediately***JusticeMakers Bangladesh expresses deep concern, condemnation and protest over the vandalism 14 Hindu temples in Thakurgaon***JusticeMakers Bangladesh deeply concern over the threat of crossfire to the lawyer Aminul Gani Tito in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerns over the attacked on CEO of BELA***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerns over the disappearance of lawyer in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh Urges Immidiate Release of Arrested Transgenders in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh concerns over viciously attacked on lawyer Abdur Rashid Mollah at Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concerned over attacked on indigenous people at Bogura***JusticeMakers Bangladesh welcomes the decision of Metropolitan Magistrate to acquit four Transgenders in Dhaka***JusticeMakers Bangladesh Protests and concerns Over the Abduction and Torture of Two Trans-women in Meherpur***Shahanur Islam attended the 21st World Summit on Participatory Democracy at Grenoble, France***

Monday, March 23, 2009

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY:for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

THE OBSERVATORY: for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY BGD 001 / 0309 / OBS 051 

Death threats Bangladesh March 23, 2009 

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh. 

Description of the situation: The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources, including ODHIKAR, of threats received by Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Secretary General and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT), as well as a member of the Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Association in Dhaka District.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

URGENT APPEAL: Immediately Ensure the Security of Human Rights Defender; Investigate Cases of Intimidations and Bring the Culprits before the justice.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS: URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-IUA-02-03-2009 

DATE: March 22, 2009 ====================================== 

BANGLADESH: Immediately Ensure the Security of Human Rights Defender; Investigate Cases of Intimidations and Bring the Culprits before the justice. ======================================= 

Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact-finding report conducted by the high level fact-finding team of BIHR regarding to a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh once again received his life threats. He filed General Diary (G.D.) to the concerned police station but no appropriate action has been taken yet even no investigation has been conducted. BIHR urges your immediate intervention to immediately ensure his security as well as investigate this alleged incident credibly and bring the alleged culprits before the justice in accordance with the law. 

Thursday, March 19, 2009

FACT FINDING REPORT: A Prominent Human Rights Defender in Bangladesh Once Again Received His Life Threat

Date: March 19, 2009

Fact Finding Case: BIHR-HRD-02-09

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) has received a fact finding report conducted by a fact-finding team of BIHR from March 18 to 19, 2009 regarding serious threats to Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot Mr. Shahanur Islam Saikot, Programme Manager of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT) as well as Member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association by cell phone. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:JOINT STATEMENT

Men and Women Must Unite to End Violence Against Women!
Global Human Rights Defence, (GHRD) The Hague-Dhaka, Jabala Action, Calcutta, and Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights (BIHR), and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims, four NGOs involved in the promotion of women’s rights in India and Bangladesh, have joined forces to raise awareness about the plight of women in South Asia on International Women’s Day 2009. Activities include a radio programme on Bhutanese refugee women’s issues in Nepal, joint press conferences in Dhaka, a ‘human chain’ for mass awareness, and student debates in Dhaka.

JOINT STATEMENT:Men and Women Must Unite to End Violence Against Women!

JOINT STATEMENT by Global Human Rights Defence, (GHRD) Jabala Action (Calcutta) Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights (BIHR), and Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT)

The Hague, Calcutta, Dhaka, 8 March 2009

Men and Women Must Unite to End Violence Against Women!

Global Human Rights Defence, (GHRD) The Hague-Dhaka, Jabala Action, Calcutta, a new partner organisation of GHRD, and Bangladesh Institute for Human Rights (BIHR), Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims (BRCT) four NGOs involved in the promotion of women’s rights in India and Bangladesh, have joined forces to raise awareness about the plight of women in South Asia on International Women’s Day 2009.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

URGENT APPEAL:Ensure the protection of human rights defender: Shahanur Islam Saikot in Bangladesh

The Hague, March 4 2009
URGENT APPEAL
BANGLADESH: Ensure the protection of human rights defender: Shahanur Islam Saikot.[UA-BA-2009-04.03]
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ISSUES: Threats to human rights defenders; fabrication of charges; impunity
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Dear Friends,
Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) has received a report conducted by a fact-finding team of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) regarding serious threats to Shahanur Islam, a human rights defender and lawyer. According to the information received, there was no action taken by the police authorities.

Considering this is not an isolated event, but rather the safety of human rightsdefenders is of major concern in Bangladesh , GHRD strongly urges the newly electedgovernment to use its powers to ensure the protection of human rights defenders andjournalists, to respect the rule of law, end impunity and the arbitrary arrests,torture and killings that constituted the repressive policy of the military caretakergovernment under two years of emergency rule.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

URGENT APPEAL: Urge to Ensure the Security and Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RIGHTS: URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME 

URGENT APPEAL CASE: BIHR-IUA-01-03-2009 
DATE: March 04, 2009 ====================================== 

BANGLADESH: Urge to Ensure the Security and Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders.
Dear Friends, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights has been received a fact-finding report conducted by a high level fact-finding team of BIHR regarding to a prominent human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh is still under threats his life. He filed more general diary to the concerned police station but no appropriate action has been taken as well as no investigation has been conducted. BIHR urges your immediate intervention to ensure his security to save his life as well as investigate this alleged incident credibly and punishment of the alleged perpetrators in accordance with the law.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

URGENT APPEAL:Urge to Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defendersin Bangladesh

Mr. Nur Mohammad Inspector General of Police Bangladesh Police Police Headquarters' Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000 BANGLADESH 3 March 2009 Dear Mr. Nur Mohammad,

Urge to Investigate Cases of Intimidations to Human Rights Defenders 

 The Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples (ACPP), a regional human rights organization based in Hong Kong, is informed by an organization in Bangladesh that Adv. Shahanur Islam Saikot received death threats on 28 February 2009 and 1 March 2009. We are writing to express our concern over this case and urge the police to conduct full and effective investigation. The victim of intimidation, Adv. Shahanur, is the Program Maanger of Legal and Human Rights Affairs at Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR). He is also affiliated with Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development, Bangladesh Rehabilitation Centre for Trauma Victims, and Member of Bangladesh Bar Council and Dhaka Bar Association.

Monday, March 2, 2009

URGENT APPEAL:A man tortured to death; relatives threatened to withdraw the case in Bangladesh

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME 
 Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-145-2008 3 July 2008
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BANGLADESH: A man tortured to death; relatives threatened to withdraw the case ISSUES: Torture; threats; torture victim 
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  Dear friends, 
 The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) that a man was dead on the way to a hospital after being beaten by police at Chakaria Police Station on 14 May 2008. A relative filed a case against those responsible but now his family members received threats to withdraw the case. 

URGENT APPEAL: Student political leader held in detention for 19 months without trial or specific charge

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-178-2008
8 August 2008
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BANGLADESH: Student political leader held in detention for 19 months without trial or specific charge
ISSUES: Arbitrary arrest and detention; right to security and liberty
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) that Mr. Mahfuzul Haydar Chowdhury Roton was arbitrarily arrested on 16 January 2007 by the Joint Forces. The authorities have detained him in prison under the Special Powers Act-1974, without any trial for any specific charge. He was rearrested and detained despite the High Court Division of the Supreme Court granting him bail on two occasions. Following continuous protests from political activists he was released on 7 August 2008. Please ask the authorities to investigate into this incident of prolonged detention without trial and specific charge.