Amnesty International calls to end mass arrests, arbitrary detention

Amnesty International urged the government of Bangladesh to end punitive mass arrests and arbitrary detention of student leaders and protesters in the aftermath of the movement for the reform to quota system in government jobs.

The global rights body made the call in a statement on its website on Monday.

Responding to reports of the arrest and detention of student leaders, protest participants and members of opposition parties following the quota-reform protests, with over 9000 arrests over the weekend in Bangladesh, Smriti Singh, Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said, “The mass arrest and arbitrary detention of student protesters is a witch hunt by the authorities to silence anyone who dares to challenge the government and is a tool to further perpetuate a climate of fear.”

“Reports suggest that these arrests are entirely politically motivated, in retaliation for the exercise of human rights. It is essential that the Bangladeshi authorities respect people’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

“The authorities must ensure that any arrests comply with due process safeguards and are fully in accordance with international human rights law and standards, including but not limited to the right to a free and fair trial, the right to be informed of the reasons for arrest and the place of detention, and the right to be brought promptly before a judge, and to have access both to legal counsel and to their family.

“The authorities should ensure that peaceful activists are not prosecuted on trumped-up charges as punishment for participating in protests. Peaceful protest is not a crime, and this witch-hunt must end,” she added.