HRW slams interim govt for banning AL, suppressing its supporters

Human Rights Watch has criticised the interim government for banning the Awami League and suppressing its supporters.

New York-based rights organisation HRW made the criticism in a news release titled 'Bangladesh: Review Laws and Protect Human Rights Standards' uploaded in its website on Wednesday.

According to the HRW, instead of pursuing its pledge to reform the criminal justice system and bring accountability for serious abuses, the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is attempting to suppress the rights of supporters of the deposed leader, Sheikh Hasina, and the Awami League party.

Sheikh Hasina-led government ousted amid the student-people's uprising on 5 August, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus was formed on 8 August.

On 12 May, the interim government ordered a “temporary” ban on the Awami League, using newly introduced powers under a draconian amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act, the release adds.

The ban includes, among other actions, meetings, publications, and online speech supporting the party.

The ban on the Awami League will apply until party leaders have faced trial for abuses committed during their 15-year rule, a process that could last years, thus effectively proscribing the party.

The Awami League, which has been active since before independence, has a wide base of supporters. After the suspension was announced, the election commission stripped the Awami League of its registration.

These moves came in the wake of the interim government’s ordinance amending the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, which gives the Tribunal broad powers to prosecute and dismantle political organisations.

The new provision defines “organisation” expansively to include any political party or affiliated group, or individuals who are deemed to propagate or support their activities.

“Sheikh Hasina’s government abused legal powers to silence political opponents, but using similar methods against the supporters of her Awami League party would also violate those same fundamental freedoms,” said Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly.

Those accused of committing crimes under Hasina’s government should be appropriately prosecuted, but imposing a ban on any speech or activity deemed supportive of a political party is an excessive restriction on fundamental freedoms that mirrors the previous government’s abusive clampdown on political opponents, Human Rights Watch said.

The rights organisation has mentioned that already a wide range of people including actors, lawyers, singers, and political activists have been arrested on politically motivated murder charges, with prosecutors justifying the arrests by accusing them of backing the “rule of fascist Hasina.”

To build a foundation for the respect of human rights in Bangladesh, the Human Rights Organisation said, the interim government should reverse its actions to protect rights of freedom of expression of Awami League members and supporters, and focus instead on prosecuting members of the former government accused of crimes based on credible evidence.

HRW also said it should refrain from politically motivated pretrial detentions, and ensure that they remain the exception, only when necessary in an individual case, and not the rule.

The priority should be to deliver justice for human rights violations, particularly unlawful killings and enforced disappearances.

The government should use evidence gathered by the commission of inquiry to investigate enforced disappearances to prosecute alleged perpetrators, remove suspects in the security forces from active duty, and reveal the fate of the missing.

“There is widespread anger against the Awami League for the many abuses committed during Hasina’s rule, but stripping supporters of opposition parties of their rights isn’t a way forward,” said Ganguly.