DHAKA: The Human Rights Forum (HRFB) has condemned the arrest of Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of Odhikar, former Deputy Attorney General and an advocate of the Supreme Court.
He was arrested on 10 August by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said a press release.The news release said, “We understand that Adil was arrested from outside his home in the presence of his wife and children by plainclothes men claiming to be from the Detective Branch and who refused to give any reasons for why they were arresting him or to explain where they were taking him.”
It added; “We are concerned that Adil has been taken on a 5-day remand where he may be under threat of torture or ill-treatment.”
Given Adil’s prominence as a human rights defender in Bangladesh, speaking out on critical subjects regarding violations of life and liberty of citizens, his arrest in this manner constitutes a clear threat from the Government to all human rights defenders, the press release added.
The press release added: “We condemn Adil`s arrest and detention, and calls upon the Government to immediately release him from custody and in the meantime to ensure that he is not subjected to any kind of torture or ill-treatment.”
It added: “We understand from news reports that the arrest is allegedly on the accusation of Adil’s being implicated in offences under the Information and Communications Technology Act, 2006. The time has come to challenge the gross misuse by this Government of this law to silence freedom of opinion and expression.” – banglanews24.com
