A group of human rights activists yesterday condemned and protested repeated police violence on women in custody. They urged the authorities to take immediate action to restrain the law enforcement agencies from acting against their constitutional obligations and inflicting violence on women, said a joint statement sent by Hameeda Hossain, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Ayesha Khanom, Khushi Kabir and Shaheen Anam.
They protested the recent incidents of rape, unlawful detention, and torture of women in Kushtia and Madaripur prisons, in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and on a Dhaka court premises.
“Clearly legal procedures have been violated in detaining the women in police custody, and we urge the government to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the women in custody and prevent further violence by police,” the statement said.
The constitution guarantees protection for all, yet the victims have been reportedly subjected to custodial torture, it said.
The rights activists are also concerned with police victimisation of press correspondents who have reported the incidents. This is a violation of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media, they said.
-With The Daily Star input
