Amnesty calls for urgent end to violence in Bangladesh

Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Dr Agnès Callamard has sent an open letter to the Bangladesh Prime Minister expressing grave concern over the recent violent crackdowns on the ongoing ‘Bangla-Blockade’ quota-reform protests in Bangladesh and urges urgent and concrete action to end the violence and ensure justice and accountability for the death of over 200 people during the protests.

In the letter dated 30 July and published on Amnesty International's official website, the Secretary-General says, "I write to you with grave concern over the recent violent crackdowns on the ongoing ‘Bangla-Blockade’ quota-reform protests in Bangladesh and urge you to take urgent and concrete action to end the violence and ensure justice and accountability for the death of over 200 people during the protests."

The letter refers to the high death toll resulting from the crackdown on the quota reform protesters. It adds, "The high death toll is a shocking indictment of the absolute intolerance shown by the Bangladeshi authorities to protest and dissent. The unlawful use of force, including lethal force, against protesters shows the authorities’ callous disregard for the right to life and an abject failure by law enforcement officials to uphold their obligations under domestic and international human rights law."

She also said, "In the last 10 days, Amnesty International has monitored and documented the grave human rights violations being committed by the authorities during the policing of protests. On two separate occasions, Amnesty International verified the evidence that confirms the use of unlawful force, unlawful use of lethal and less-lethal weapons against student protesters, amid six days of communication restrictions."

Referring to the internet blackouts and curfews imposed in the country since 18 July, the letter reads, "The blanket shutdowns impacted people’s safety, security, mobility, and livelihoods while creating instability and panic, further undermining their trust in authorities. Such bans also restrict organisations from conducting human rights monitoring at precisely the time when people are most at risk. "

At the end of the letter, she urged the Government of Bangladesh to take several measures: 

• Immediately and fully lift the curfew, restore full access to social media platforms and guarantee that shoot-on-sight curfew orders and internet shutdowns will not be used in the future to crack down on protesters or to repress any other fundamental rights.

• Immediately and unconditionally release all the people detained or arrested solely for exercising their right to protest peacefully.

• Instruct law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint, not to use unnecessary or excessive force against demonstrators and to implement measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. This includes revising policing