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ANFREL calls for end to harassment of Bangladesh

human rights organization

March 28, 2011
from NAMFREL Election Monitor Vol.2, No.5

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In a letter to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) calls attention to the harassment of members of Odhikar – an organization in Bangladesh composed of lawyers, university professors, journalists, social and development activists committed to human rights.  Odhikar is one of ANFREL's member-organizations.

“On multiple occasions in the past two weeks, unknown figures apparently connected to the government have appeared outside Odhikar’s office and Mr. Khan’s (Odhikar Secretary Advocate Adilur Rahman Khan's) home. They have harassed staff, followed Mr. Khan, and demanded personal information about Mr. Khan as well as the records of Odhikar. Their questioning included asking very specific questions about Mr. Khan’s family, questions no doubt intended to intimidate and scare him into discontinuing his work,” the letter said.

According to reports, acts of harassment against members of the organization have taken place particularly after Odhikar's third Annual Human Rights Defenders conference held in the capital Dhaka early this month.

ANFREL calls on the government of Bangladesh to investigate and end the intimidation of the organization and to “do more to protect those working to strengthen democracy and human rights in Bangladesh...in accordance with the duties of States found in the UN’s Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.”
 

 
 
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