Silencing the Defenders: Odhikar's Struggle for Human Rights in Bangladesh

14-07-2023.

Alexandra Posta

East and South Asia Researcher

Global Human Rights Defense

The United Nations (UN) experts have raised alarm over the persistent harassment of Odhikar, a human rights organisation in Bangladesh (UN, 11 July 2023; OHCHR, 11 July 2023). The case highlights the use of criminal proceedings as a means to silence human rights defenders and organisations. By documenting enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings and cooperating with UN human rights mechanisms, Odhikar has been instrumental in shedding light on human rights abuses. The reprisals faced by Odhikar not only undermine its work but also have a chilling effect, deterring others from reporting on human rights issues and collaborating with the UN.

Odhikar's renewal application with the Bangladeshi NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) had been pending since 2014 until its deregistration in June 2022 (OHCHR, 11 July 2023). The NGOAB accused Odhikar of publishing misleading information and tarnishing the country's image (OHCHR, 11 July 2023). The ongoing judicial harassment faced by Odhikar's Secretary, Adilur Rahman Khan, and its Director, ASM Nasiruddin Elan, stems from allegations of disseminating fake, distorted, and defamatory information (OHCHR, 11 July 2023). Despite a fact-finding report on extrajudicial killings published ten years ago, the organization's representatives continue to face legal pressure, characterised by violations of due process (OHCHR, 11 July 2023).

The harassment faced by Odhikar and its representatives is a blatant violation of the right to freedom of association, guaranteed under Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a signatory (OHCHR, 11 July 2023). This pattern of targeting human rights defenders and organizations undermines the crucial work they perform, inhibiting their ability to promote and protect human rights effectively (OHCHR, 11 July 2023). Additionally, such reprisals have a chilling effect on the wider human rights community, creating an environment of fear and discouraging others from reporting abuses or engaging with the UN's human rights mechanisms (UN, 11 July 2023; OHCHR, 11 July 2023).

UN experts have called upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure respect for due process and the right to a fair trial for Odhikar's representatives (UN, 11 July 2023; OHCHR, 11 July 2023). They urge Bangladesh to put an end to judicial harassment, disinformation campaigns, and smear tactics employed against Odhikar and its leaders (UN, 11 July 2023; OHCHR, 11 July 2023). Additionally, the experts have urged authorities to provide a safe environment where human rights defenders can carry out their essential work without fear of reprisal (UN, 11 July 2023). By highlighting the ongoing harassment and targeting of human rights defenders, the experts warn that Bangladesh risks setting a dangerous precedent, undermining the principles of due process and fair trial (UN, 11 July 2023).

SOURCES
1. UN. (11 July 2023). Bangladesh using enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings to silence rights defenders: Experts. UN News. Available at <https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/07/1138572>.

2. OHCHR. (11 July 2023). Bangladesh must end harassment of human rights defenders: UN experts. UN OHCHR. Available at <https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/07/bangladesh-must-end-harassment-human-rights-defenders-un-experts>.