US stresses fundamental freedom, basic human rights: Vedant Patel

The US continues to stress the needs of respect for fundamental freedoms, religious freedom and basic human rights in the countries it works with, said the US principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel during the regular briefing.

A journalist said British MPs Barry Gardiner and Priti Patel expressed concern in the UK parliament over violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, highlighting over 2,000 violent incidents and calling for urgent government discussion with Bangladeshi authorities to ensure protection, law and order, and freedom of religion for minority communities. Are there any plans to address this concern through diplomatic and policy measurement from the US?

Vedant Patel replied, “We are consistent with every government in which we have a relationship with – we are clear that there needs to be the respect of fundamental freedoms; there needs to be respect of religious freedom and basic human rights.

Any kind of protests should be and need to be peaceful, and that any kind of crackdown – not even crackdown – that governments need to respect the rule of law, they need to respect basic human rights as part of that. And that’s something we’ll continue to emphasize.”

The journalist also asked about the arrest of Sanatani Jagaran Jote’s spokesperson Chinmoy Das and said no lawyer in Bangladesh was willing to stand for him because his lawyer was beaten and sent to the hospital.

Patel replied, “I don’t have the details surrounding that case. But again, we continue to stress and emphasize that even those who are in detention need to be afforded appropriate representation and need to be treated with basic fundamental freedoms and human rights.”