UN rights boss urges fair probe over Mushtaq’s death, review of DSA

UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet on Monday urged the Bangladesh government to investigate the death of the writer Mushtaq Ahmed in custody and overhaul the controversial Digital Security Act.

“The Government must ensure that its investigation into Ahmed’s death is prompt, transparent and independent, and that any allegations of ill-treatment of other detainees are also immediately investigated,” Bachelet said.

Urging the authorities to review the Digital Security Act and release all those detained under it, Bachelet at a news release by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said, “There needs to be an overhaul of the Digital Security Act under which Ahmed was charged – and all those detained under this act for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and opinion must be released.”

“Various UN Human Rights bodies have long raised concerns about the ill-defined, overly broad provisions of the Digital Security Act that have been used to punish criticism of the government,” Bachelet added.

The high commissioner also expressed serious concern at allegations that cartoonist Ahmed Kishore, detained on similar charges, has been subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. She reminded the authorities of their obligation to promptly and effectively investigate the claims and to ensure his safety and well-being.

Bangladesh urgently needs to suspend the application of the Digital Security Act and conduct a review of its provisions to bring them in line with the requirements of international human rights law
Michelle Bachelet, UN high commissioner for human rights

“Bangladesh urgently needs to suspend the application of the Digital Security Act and conduct a review of its provisions to bring them in line with the requirements of international human rights law.”

The high commissioner also expressed concern at reports of using excessive force by police against protests demanding justice over Mushtaq’s death and arrest of another activist Ruhul Amin under the Digital Security Act for a post on Facebook over Mushtaq’s death.

The UN rights office also said that allegations of torture and ill-treatment by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been a long-standing concern.

“The Committee Against Torture, an independent body monitoring the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in 2019 recommended the government of Bangladesh commission an independent inquiry into allegations that members of the unit have carried out torture and other rights abuses, including arbitrary arrests, disappearances and extrajudicial killings “as a matter of routine policy”, OHCHR added.

Bachelet also said that OHCHR is ready to continue its dialogue with the authorities in reviewing the DSA.

Writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who was arrested last May in a case filed under Digital Security Act amid the Covid-19 crisis, died in police custody at around 8:30pm on Thursday. Mushtaq was denied bail six times.

His death triggered huge social media outcry and street protests in Bangladesh.