Solidarity with Adil and Odikhar

Dear friends,

Our friend and colleague, Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Odhikar (FIDH member organization in Bangladesh), whom some of you met at FIDH congress in Istanbul, has been arbitrarily arrested on 10th August, and has since then been detained at Kashimpur Jail in Dhaka.

The arrest took place following the release by Odhikar of a fact-finding report on human rights abuses perpetrated by State security forces during a public rally in May 2013. In the context of upcoming elections, the Bangladeshi authorities are trying to silence human rights organizations such as Odhikar, which denounce human rights violations involving State responsibility.

On 4th September, a court filed charges against Adil, as well as against Odhikar’s Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan, for “distorting images by using photo shop and publishing a fabricated report, which enraged public sentiment”. Adil’s trial will begin on September 12th. His application for bail was rejected today on September 9th.

FIDH calls for Adil’s immediate and unconditional release and for all charges against him and Odhikar to be abandoned. We filed in August a complaint with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and issued several urgent appeals with OMCT in the framework of the ‘Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders’. We are now planning, with several partners, an advocacy and solidarity mission to Dhaka.

Adil is in good health and was transfered on 1st September to an individual cell. He is able to meet his wife and colleagues on a regular basis, although he can receive no mail.

To express your solidarity with Adil and Odikhar, we would like to propose you the following actions:

• Sign and disseminate widely the petition calling for Adil’s release (it will be handed over by our partner Forum Asia next week to the Bangladeshi authorities): http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/prime-minister-h-e-sheikh-hasina-release-human-rights-defender-adilur-rahman-khan-immediately
• Tweet the following: “#Bangladesh : Help us obtain the release of #Adilur, member of the NGO #Odikhar, by signing the following petition : http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/prime-minister-h-e-sheikh-hasina-release-human-rights-defender-adilur-rahman-khan-immediately
• Send a letter to the authorities of Bangladesh. You can find background information, specific requests and contact details at the following link: http://fidh.org/bangladesh-mr-adilur-rahman-khan-still-arbitrarily-detained-13824
• Send a solidarity letter to Adil. Please send it to FIDH (asia@fidh.org) who will compile all of them and send them to Odhikar. Unless you want to keep your letter confidential, we will publish it in order to show the international support which Adil and Odhikar get. Please find attached FIDH solidarity letter to Adil and Odhikar.
• You may use the attached campaign’s poster.
• You will find more information on Adil, Odikhar and on Bangladesh at: http://odhikar.org/, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Odhikar/287124938002358 and http://fidh.org/-Bangladesh,596-.

FIDH Asia Desk (asia@fidh.org) remains at your disposal for any further information or support we could provide to support your mobilisation for Adil. While we will send you regular updates, please keep us informed of any actions that you undertake so that we can send Odikhar additional testimony of our solidarity.

We thank you in advance for your action.

Best wishes,
Karim Lahidji

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