URGENT ACTION: Enforced disappearance of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder,Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman of Bangladesh

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by Odhikar, a member of the OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the enforced disappearance of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, a wood trader of 28 years old, resident of Collegepara in Salondo village, Thakurgaon, on 19 March 2010, as well as the enforced disappearances, on 17 May 2010, of Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman, both residents of Rampura, Dhaka.

According to the information received, on 19 March 2010, at around 4:30pm, Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, who was, at that moment, discussing business with his business partner and two alleged wood buyers, was abducted on the road, in front of the Biswa Islmai Mission Mosque, by a group of 13 individuals in plain clothes driving in a white microbus. According to eyewitnesses to the scene, the individuals, who abducted Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, were members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

On the same day, at around 8:00pm, Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder’s wife went to Thakurgaon police station to file a general diary but she was instead locked up in the police station. According to the police, Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder was a fugitive in several murder cases and got abducted by members of a criminal group. She was only later released.

According to the same information, Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder’s brother, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder, who lives in Dhaka, went to Thakurgaon, on 20 March 2010, after hearing from his sister-in-law that his brother had been abducted. He went to the Thakurgaon police station to file a case but the officer-in-charge and the Superintendent of Police again refused. Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder was then allegedly compelled by the police to file a case indicating that his brother had been abducted by alleged rivals.

It is reported that Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder subsequently organised two press conferences during which he accused the RAB of abducting his brother. The RAB have reportedly consistently denied any involvement.

Approximately two months later, on 17 May 2010, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and his business partner, Mr. Abdur Rahman, were on their way to the Banasree project area, located in Dhaka, when they were abducted by individuals in black clothes driving a white microbus. On the same day, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder’s sister-in-law filed a general diary with the Rampuna police station and Mr. Abdur Rahman’s wife filed a general diary with the Khilgaon police station. Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder’s sister-in-law also reportedly went to the office of the RAB-3 to inquire but the RAB officers denied detaining Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned about the safety of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman as, to date, their whereabouts remain unknown. OMCT fears that they were victim of an extra-judicial killing.

OMCT calls upon the competent authorities to carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the enforced disappearances of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman, in accordance with international human rights standards, the result of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law.

Action requested

Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh urging them to:

i.                     Immediately locate the whereabouts of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman;

ii.                   Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman;

iii.                  Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the enforced disappearances of Mr. Mohammad Akbar Ali Shorder, Mr. Mohammad Ayub Ali Shorder and Mr. Abdur Rahman, the results of which must be made public, in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

iv.                 Ensure that an effective remedy, including the right to full redress with compensation, be granted to the victims concerned and/or their families;

v.                   Ensure the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

Ø      Ministry of Home Affairs, Honorable Minister, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Fax: +880 2 7169667, Email: minister@mha.gov.bd

Ø      Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Honorable Minister, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed, Fax: +880 2 7168557, Email: minoflaw@bdonline.com, info@minlaw.gov.bd

Ø      Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Minister, Dr. Dipu Moni, Fax: +880 2 9562188, Email: dirfe@mofa.gov.bd

Ø      Ministry of Home Affairs, Secretary, Mr. Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Fax: +880 2 7164788, Email: secretary@mha.gov.bd

Ø      NGO Affairs Bureau, Director General, Mr. Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, Fax: +880 2 9562844, Email: info@ngoab.gov.bd

Ø      Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Nations in Geneva, 65 rue de Lausanne, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 738 46 16, E-mail: mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int

Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.

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Geneva, 19 July 2010

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.