To the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina
We learned of the arrest of bloggers Subrata Adhikari Shuvo, Mashiur Rahman Biplob, Rasel Parvez e Asif Mohiuddin, accused of «offending Islam». We also heard of a massive rally which took place on April 6th in Dhaka, asking for their hanging. According to our sources, you have been given a blacklist with the names of other bloggers to subject to the same punishment.
These news leave us aghast. Among the principles affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which we wholeheartedly endorse, there are also freedom of expression and of religion, which include also freedom from religion. As you said yourself, celebrating the United Nations Human Rights Day in 2011,
«all human rights are equal, indivisible, interdependent and mutually reinforcing […] To strengthen the freedom of speech and expression, we have set up an independent Information Commission and have fully liberalized the electronic and print media. […] We are also relentlessly striving to uphold the political, social and economic rights of the vulnerable and marginalized including of women, children, religious and ethnic minorities […]»
It is shocking that things like this could happen in a great country like Bangladesh, which calls itself secular. Which is why we ask of you:
- to abolish any law criminalizing blasphemy
- to free the unjustly detained bloggers
- to guarantee them the utmost personal security, once freed
- to create the necessary conditions in your country for fundamental human rights, like freedom of expression and freedom of conscience, to be recognized for every citizen, whatever their convictions or beliefs might be
During the 66th session of the General Assembly on October 4th 2011, the Bangladeshi ambassador at the United Nations concluded his speech saying:
«Bangladesh would continue to consciously promote multi-party democracy, free media, secularism, a culture of peace and non-violence, inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogues as well as ethnic and religious tolerance to combat extremism»
We hope that you will live up to your commitment.