Sunday, 09 March, 2025
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office has called on the Bangladesh government to withdraw lawsuits filed against journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders during the previous Awami League administration.
In its recent report, the UN urged the government to "withdraw all pending criminal cases against journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, civil society activists, and other human rights defenders related to conduct protected under international human rights law, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly."
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released its Fact-Finding Report titled "Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh" from Geneva on February 12. The OHCHR also called for an immediate halt to unlawful surveillance of journalists, political party supporters, trade unionists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders by security forces.
The report recommended that Bangladesh authorities take steps to protect these individuals from retaliatory violence, prosecute perpetrators, and facilitate civil claims for damages, including those related to private property attacks. It also called for an independent public inquiry into government surveillance practices and the publication of its findings.
The UN rights office urged the closure of the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre and demanded that surveillance operations be conducted in strict accordance with Bangladesh’s international human rights obligations. Additionally, it called for the amendment of vague provisions in the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulation Act, which have been used to justify unchecked surveillance.
The OHCHR further proposed an immediate moratorium on Internet shutdowns and the blocking of websites or applications, urging that these measures be subject to clear criteria, transparency, and independent oversight.
The report also recommended amending the National Human Rights Commission Act of 2009 to align with the Paris Principles, ensuring that the commission operates impartially and independently. This includes the appointment of independent members through a transparent, participatory process involving all relevant stakeholders, especially civil society.
Lastly, the UN urged a moratorium on arrests, investigations, and prosecutions under overly broad criminal provisions—such as those in the Cyber Security Act 2023, the Official Secrecy Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act, and the criminal defamation clauses of the Penal Code—that have historically been used to suppress media freedom and political dissent.
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The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office has called on the Bangladesh government to withdraw lawsuits filed against journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders during the previous Awami League administration.
In its recent report, the UN urged the government to "withdraw all pending criminal cases against journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, civil society activists, and other human rights defenders related to conduct protected under international human rights law, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly."
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released its Fact-Finding Report titled "Human Rights Violations and Abuses Related to the Protests of July and August 2024 in Bangladesh" from Geneva on February 12. The OHCHR also called for an immediate halt to unlawful surveillance of journalists, political party supporters, trade unionists, civil society activists, and human rights defenders by security forces.
The report recommended that Bangladesh authorities take steps to protect these individuals from retaliatory violence, prosecute perpetrators, and facilitate civil claims for damages, including those related to private property attacks. It also called for an independent public inquiry into government surveillance practices and the publication of its findings.
The UN rights office urged the closure of the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre and demanded that surveillance operations be conducted in strict accordance with Bangladesh’s international human rights obligations. Additionally, it called for the amendment of vague provisions in the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulation Act, which have been used to justify unchecked surveillance.
The OHCHR further proposed an immediate moratorium on Internet shutdowns and the blocking of websites or applications, urging that these measures be subject to clear criteria, transparency, and independent oversight.
The report also recommended amending the National Human Rights Commission Act of 2009 to align with the Paris Principles, ensuring that the commission operates impartially and independently. This includes the appointment of independent members through a transparent, participatory process involving all relevant stakeholders, especially civil society.
Lastly, the UN urged a moratorium on arrests, investigations, and prosecutions under overly broad criminal provisions—such as those in the Cyber Security Act 2023, the Official Secrecy Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act, and the criminal defamation clauses of the Penal Code—that have historically been used to suppress media freedom and political dissent.
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