Justice not served: Odhikar on imprisonment of its secretary, director
"The judgment delivered today is likely to have a chilling effect on human rights defenders and civil society organisations across the country," stated the organisation in a statement issued today.
The human rights organisation Odhikar has condemned the imprisonment of its Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan, asserting that they have been denied justice.
"The judgment delivered today is likely to have a chilling effect on human rights defenders and civil society organisations across the country," stated the organisation in a statement issued today.
On Thursday, the Cyber Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced them to two years of imprisonment and fined them Tk10,000 each for "allegedly violating Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006". They were charged with releasing a report on extrajudicial killings that occurred on 5 and 6 May 2013, in connection with the Hefazat-e-Islam protests.
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The organization emphasized, "This marks the first time in Bangladesh's 52-year history that human rights defenders have been incarcerated for reporting human rights violations."
Read more:
- Odhikar's Adilur, Elan sentenced to 2 years in jail
- Odhikar leaders' imprisonment may discourage human rights defenders; CSA continues criminalisation of freedom of expression: US
- Amnesty urges authorities for Odhikar leaders' immediate release
Denouncing the arrest, trial, and imprisonment of these two human rights defenders, the organisation asserted, "It firmly believes that justice has not been served."
"As an organisation, Odhikar has drawn sustained criticism from the establishment for becoming the voice of victims of human rights violations, including those subjected to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention, and for its advocacy for the protection of free expression and assembly, as well as its engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms."
"Previously, the government arbitrarily deregistered the organisation," the statement added.
On the night of 10 August 2013, Adilur Rahman Khan was apprehended by members of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Police. He remained untraceable throughout the night and was presented in court the following afternoon. Nasiruddin Elan subsequently surrendered in court. Both Adilur Khan and Elan were charged under the Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006 (Amended in 2009). They were released on bail after spending 62 and 25 days in jail, respectively. Following a decade-long legal proceeding, the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal judge, AM Zulfikar Hayat, delivered the judgment and sentenced them today.
