Published : 13 Mar 2026, 08:25 AM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:28 PM
A coalition of international human rights organisations and genocide scholars has formally appealed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to grant immediate bail to 75-year-old writer and filmmaker Shahriar Kabir on humanitarian grounds.
The joint letter, dated Thursday, Mar 12, and led by Genocide Watch and the Alliance Against Genocide, expressed “serious concern” over Kabir’s continued detention and deteriorating health in Dhaka Central Jail.
Described in the appeal as an internationally renowned advocate for religious pluralism and minority protection, Kabir has authored numerous books on human rights and peace.
The coalition emphasised that his imprisonment has drawn “great concern” due to multiple murder-related charges and allegations of crimes against humanity.
The letter notes that in October 2025, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled his imprisonment “arbitrary and violative of the International Bill of Human Rights”.
Signatories also highlighted that Kabir, who suffers from chronic illnesses, has endured two “mini-strokes” while in detention and now requires a wheelchair.
Prison conditions, they say, have worsened, with “denial of wheelchair access and proper medical care” contributing to a rapid deterioration in his health.
The coalition urged the Bangladeshi government to uphold its obligations under international human rights conventions, including the ICCPR and the Nelson Mandela Rules for the treatment of prisoners.
High-profile signatories include Dr Gregory H Stanton of Genocide Watch, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, and the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention.
Individual endorsements came from exiled writer Taslima Nasrin, PEN International members, and dozens of scholars from the UK, Europe, and the US.
The appeal concludes with a call for all proceedings related to Kabir’s cases to “fully uphold the principles of due process, rule of law, fairness and humanitarian considerations”.
