UNB, Dhaka :
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday expressed concern over the dramatic rise in the incidents of murder in Bangladesh.
“I’m very concerned about the dramatically increased number of brutal murders in Bangladesh that target freethinkers, liberals, religious minorities and LGBT activists,” he said. In a wide-ranging opening speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Hussein sheds a light on ‘preventable calamities’ and worrying trends in human rights around the world, including detailed concerns about the situation in more than 50 countries. He urged the Bangladesh authorities to ensure full respect for human rights in investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of recent vicious crimes, according to a message received here from Geneva.
“I note recent reports of police arrests, and I urge that investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of these vicious crimes be made a priority, with full respect for human rights,” said the rights body chief.
He also urged all government officials and political and religious leaders to “unequivocally” condemn these attacks on freedom, and to do more to protect affected groups. Meanwhile, ahead of the UN Human Rights Council that convened in Geneva, international groups working on press freedom and freedom of expression, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, made a joint submission to the council calling for urgent and concrete steps to reverse the deteriorating climate for free expression in Bangladesh.
A ‘string of murders’ of bloggers and publishers since February 2015, for which no one has been convicted, has produced an “atmosphere of fear”.
The mainstream press, meanwhile, continues to face an array of challenges, ranging from the imprisonment of journalists to legal threats, according to a message received here from CPJ.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday expressed concern over the dramatic rise in the incidents of murder in Bangladesh.
“I’m very concerned about the dramatically increased number of brutal murders in Bangladesh that target freethinkers, liberals, religious minorities and LGBT activists,” he said. In a wide-ranging opening speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Hussein sheds a light on ‘preventable calamities’ and worrying trends in human rights around the world, including detailed concerns about the situation in more than 50 countries. He urged the Bangladesh authorities to ensure full respect for human rights in investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of recent vicious crimes, according to a message received here from Geneva.
“I note recent reports of police arrests, and I urge that investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of these vicious crimes be made a priority, with full respect for human rights,” said the rights body chief.
He also urged all government officials and political and religious leaders to “unequivocally” condemn these attacks on freedom, and to do more to protect affected groups. Meanwhile, ahead of the UN Human Rights Council that convened in Geneva, international groups working on press freedom and freedom of expression, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, made a joint submission to the council calling for urgent and concrete steps to reverse the deteriorating climate for free expression in Bangladesh.
A ‘string of murders’ of bloggers and publishers since February 2015, for which no one has been convicted, has produced an “atmosphere of fear”.
The mainstream press, meanwhile, continues to face an array of challenges, ranging from the imprisonment of journalists to legal threats, according to a message received here from CPJ.
