Staff Reporter :
The United States of America (USA) and the United Nations (UN) on Saturday condemned the killing of blogger Avijit Roy.
In a statement the USA said, they are ready to assist the investigation into the brutal killing of Bangladesh-born US citizen Avijit Roy while the UN expressed the hope that the perpetrators will be quickly brought to justice through the due process of law.
“We, of course, will provide consular assistance as is appropriate. We’re also ready to assist Bangladesh in the investigation,” the US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki told journalists at a regular press
briefing on Friday.
She said, “Clearly, we know his background, which was why I outlined it, but don’t have anything to ascribe in terms of a motive in this case,” Atheist writer Avijit’s killing on Thursday night triggered strong condemnations from his fellow writers and publishers at home and abroad, who lamented the growing religious conservatism and intolerance in Bangladesh.
Avijit was the founder of Mukto-Mona (Free-mind) blog site, which champions liberal secular writing in Bangladesh.
The USA also condemned in the strongest terms the murder of Avijit Roy, which was horrific in its brutality and cowardice, the statement said. The statement added Avijit was a journalist, a humanist, a husband, and a friend, and the USA extend it condolences to his family and friends.
The UN spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric said their colleagues in the human rights body condemned the killing of blogger Avijit Roy and expressed the hope that the perpetrators would be quickly brought to justice through the due process of law. “I may cut them off if the preamble to their question is too long, but that’s just my chair’s prerogative,” he said. The point is that once they are in this room, they are allowed to ask whatever they want, he added.
Avijit Roy was killed and his wife Rafida Afrin Banya injured seriously as unidentified criminals stabbed them near TSC on the Dhaka University campus on Thursday night.
Avijit and Rafida, an expatriate couple living in the USA, returned home a few days ago as his two books were published on the occasion of Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
