UN human rights experts urge Bangladesh to release photographer Shahidul Alam

United Nations human rights experts have urged Bangladeshi authorities to immediately release photographer Shahidul Alam.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 14 August 2018, 04:03 AM
Updated : 14 August 2018, 04:12 AM

Alam was arrested and allegedly tortured after reporting abuses against student protesters demanding road safety.

The panel of human rights experts included Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders David Kaye, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and Seong-Phil Hong, chair-rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

On Aug 5, Alam was arrested in his house in Dhaka, hours after a news outlet released an interview with him on the student demonstrations.

“He appeared before court the following day, where he reportedly showed signs of torture,” the experts said in a statement posted on the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Alam has been placed on remand on charges of spreading propaganda and false information against the government.

“The arrest and alleged ill-treatment of Alam is extremely worrying and takes place in a general context of a crackdown against young students and others calling for better public governance, reforms and justice in Bangladesh, including media workers and other civil society,” the experts said in the statement.

“We urge the relevant authorities to immediately release Shahidul Alam and to take effective measures to have all allegations of torture investigated promptly, effectively and impartially. We also urge them to ensure a safe and enabling environment for media workers.”