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| Irene Khan |
Global human rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) yesterday asked the caretaker government to try war criminals.
"We want the present government to initiate some process. The future democratic government will have to take the issue forward. But some steps regarding that should be taken at this moment," Irene Khan, AI secretary general, told reporters after attending a seminar on 'Campaign for Human Dignity' in the capital.
Irene is leading a special AI delegation to Bangladesh to discuss human rights issues with the government, political parties and civil society on the eve of the first anniversary of declaration of the state of emergency.
AI and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) jointly organised the seminar at LGED Bhaban at the launching of a six-day AI mission which will focus on rule of law with special attention to institutional changes needed for protection and promotion of human rights.
In her speech at the seminar and statements before the media, the AI chief also touched upon different rights-related issues including the state of emergency.
Coinciding with the demand for war criminals' trial getting momentum recently, Irene's visit will feature meetings with the government where her team will share AI's experience in Latin America, Cambodia and Africa on trial of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"While sharing our experience, we'll tell the government what and how they can do something in this regard," Irene told reporters.
Saying that there have been a lot of progress in international laws regarding war crimes and crimes against humanity since 1971 to facilitate the trial, she said, "The present international principle, Principle of Universal Jurisdiction, means any war criminal, no matter where he is staying, needs to be tried for the crimes he had done, no matter where he has done that."
Asked whether the AI would pursue the trial of war criminals in international arena in case the government does not initiate the process, Irene said, "Amnesty International doesn't lodge such cases directly, but other organisations do…If they (war criminals) go to other countries, they can be arrested and cases can be lodged against them."
Irene noted that the history of Bangladesh is turbulent, full of injustices. But the current situation brings her hope.
"To my own feeling, this is a window of opportunity to initiate institutional reform that can turn the trend this country has suffered from."
The culture of impunity 'which goes back to 1971' is almost an institutional problem now, she said, "Therefore, you need institutional change."
She stressed the need for an independent judiciary, police reform, actions to address maltreatment and torture, a strong national human rights commission and freedom of information legislation.
The AI is going to launch "Campaign for Human Dignity" next year with focus on accountability of governments, big businesses and others, access of the poor to justice, services and rights, discrimination, and participation of people.
The AI delegation will meet senior members of the caretaker government including Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Law Adviser Mainul Hosein. The schedule for meeting Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed is yet to be fixed.
At its meetings with the government, the AI will raise the issue of release of cartoonist Arifur Rahman, whom it terms 'a prisoner of conscience'. Arif was arrested and detained in September last year for 'hurting religious sentiment' in a cartoon published in Alpin, a satire magazine of the Prothom Alo.
After holding meetings with all the stakeholders, the AI will launch a memorandum on the state of human rights in Bangladesh through a press conference on Thursday.
"We'll say there how trial of all human rights violation incidents that took place in last few years can be held," she said, adding they will also raise the issue of trial of such violations in 1971.
Admitting that rights of both general people and political leaders are violated, Irene said, "We need a change where everyone, not only political leaders but also ordinary people, is protected by law and has the right of fair trial."
On whether she thinks the state of emergency should be lifted to give back people's fundamental rights, she said human rights can be ensured even when a state of emergency is in force.
"A state of emergency and human rights violation are not the same. We'll ask the government to lift restrictions on freedom of expression with special emphasis on freedom of media, protection of rights workers, and freedom for those working for poverty, environment and women rights issues to organise people."
She said there is some restriction on fair trial, assembly and press freedom. The government must work out how people will do political activities while emergency is in force.
Protesting extra-judicial killings, Irene said, "We saw last year and before that no investigation was done when army or Rab beat up someone. If there was any investigation, the report was not done appropriately, and, if that was done, prosecution was not done."
MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam delivered the welcome address while David Petrasek, Amnesty's special adviser on poverty and human rights, spoke on the Campaign for Human Dignity.
