The United Nations has voiced concern about the arrest of human rights activist Adilur Rahman Khan and urged the government of Bangladesh to secure his immediate release.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Liz Throssell made urge in Geneva on Tuesday, reported the UN News Centre on Wednesday.
Adilur Rahman Khan, the secretary of Odhikar, a well-known human rights organisation in the country, was arrested at his house in the capital, on August 10 by plainclothes officers reportedly acting without a warrant, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
‘We are calling on the government of Bangladesh to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Adilur, whose arrest might be linked to his work as human rights defender,’ Liz Throssell told reporters in Geneva.
She said that Adilur was reported to have been arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act, accused of publishing false information about violence by government forces during demonstrations in May by the Islamist movement, Hefazat-e-Islam.
Odhikar reported that 61 people had died during these protests, challenging the government’s version of events, noted Throssell.
She said that the day after his arrest, Adilur was denied bail and remanded in police custody for five days.
‘He was allegedly denied access to a lawyer before his court hearing,’ she added.
-With New Age input
