A group of United Nations independent human rights experts on Friday called for an immediate stop to violence in Bangladesh and a return to peaceful demonstrations following large-scale protests since early February.
The demonstrations are largely linked to the decisions of the International Crimes Tribunal established in 2010 to try people accused of atrocities, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, during the country’s 1971 independence war.
Clashes in recent weeks between security forces and activists have reportedly killed at least 88 people and injured hundreds of others, according to a press release from UN News Centre.
“I call upon the authorities in Bangladesh to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigations of all killings irrespective of whether they were committed by a State or a non-State actor,” said the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Christof Heyns.
According to a news release from the UN human rights office (OHCHR), there have also been “worrying reports on attacks against members of the Hindu community, their homes and places of worship, as well as against journalists”.
The Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, warned against such attacks on journalists and other media workers.
“The ongoing violence has threatened the safety of journalists in the country and led to the killing of at least one blogger, and injury of a large number of media workers. Twelve websites have also been shut down by the Bangladeshi authorities,” he noted, calling of all parties to refrain from inciting violence.
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