UN rights body raises concerns over ‘harassment of Dr Yunus, Odhikar leaders’

News Desk :
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has concerned over the continued intimidation and harassment of human rights advocates and civil society leaders through legal proceedings in Bangladesh.

In a statement on Tuesday, the UN body referred to the ongoing trials against Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, known for his work on poverty alleviation through Grameen Bank, and two leaders of the human rights organisation Odhikar.

Besides, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Bangladeshi authorities to create a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders and other civil society representatives to carry out their essential work for the welfare and protection of all people in Bangladesh.

The UN body stated, “Yunus has faced harassment and intimidation for almost a decade.

He currently faces two trials that carry potential prison sentences-one on charges of violating labor laws, the second for alleged corruption.”

It also referred to the cases brought against the leaders of Odhikar – Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan – in which the verdicts are due to be delivered on Thursday (7 September).

“The criminal charges relate to a fact-finding report they compiled 10 years ago on extra-judicial killings.

Both have faced harassment and intimidation, and their organization’s license was not renewed,” the statement continued.

It said, “The legal harassment of civil society leaders, human rights defenders, and other dissenting voices is a worrying sign for civic and democratic space in Bangladesh.

‘These cases also represent an important test for the independence of the judiciary in Bangladesh.”

The UN High Commissioner urged the judicial authorities to ensure the most rigorous review in these cases to ensure that rights to due process and a fair trial are strictly and consistently applied.

The rights body said they are closely studying the new Cyber Security Act (CSA), which has been presented to Parliament to replace the problematic Digital Security Act (DSA).

“The new law will replace imprisonment with fines and increase the scope for bail for several offenses, but it is very important that Parliament address the remaining concerns to prevent any further arbitrary use of the law to suppress freedom of expression,” it added.