New information
MYS 001 / 0717 / OBS 083.1
Obstacles to freedoms of movement and
assembly / Release / Harassment
Malaysia
July 20, 2017
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH, has received new information and requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Malaysia.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed about the release and subsequent deportation of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, Secretary of the human rights non-governmental organisation Odhikar in Bangladesh [1], also a member of OMCT General Assembly and FIDH Vice-President.
According to the information received, on July 20, 2017, at around 8 pm, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan was deported back to Bangladesh after being detained for more than 14 hours by Malaysian Immigration at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Observatory recalls that on July 20, 2017, at about 4.00 am, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan was denied entry into Malaysia and detained by immigration officers upon his arrival in Kuala Lumpur, where he had come to attend the National Conference on Death Penalty organised by the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) from July 21 to 22, 2017.
At no time during his detention, he was given access to a lawyer nor a clear reason for his detention. It is only around the end of this detention that he could meet with representatives of the National Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).
The Observatory strongly condemns Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan’s arbitrary arrest and subsequent deportation, and calls upon the Malaysian authorities to guarantee in all circumstances the freedoms of movement, peaceful assembly and association of all human rights defenders in Malaysia.
Moreover, the Observatory recalls that Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan has been the subject of relentless acts of harassment over the past years [2], raising fears that he may face additional harassment upon his arrival in Dhaka. Accordingly the Observatory urges the Government of Bangladesh to make sure that he will not be subjected to further acts of harassment upon his return to Bangladesh.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Malaysia, urging them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the freedoms of movement, peaceful assembly and association of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, as well as of all human rights defenders in Malaysia;
ii. Put an end to any kind of harassment against Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan as well as all human rights defenders in Malaysia, and ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;
iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Articles 1 and 12.2;
iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Malaysia.
Please write to the authorities in Bangladesh, urging them to:
i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, as well as of all human rights defenders in Bangladesh;
ii. Refrain from any kind of harassment against Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, as well as all human rights defenders in Bangladesh, and ensure in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;
iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Articles 1 and 12.2;
iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Bangladesh.
Addresses:
Authorites from Malaysia:
– Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Fax: +60 3 8888 3444, Email: ppm@pmo.gov.my
– Mr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia, Fax: +60 3 8889 1613 / +60 3 8889 1610, Email: ahmadzahid@moha.gov.my
– Attorney General of Malaysia, Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, Fax: +603 8890 5670 Email: pro@agc.gov.my
– Tan Sri Razali Bin Ismail, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), Fax: +60 3 2612 5620, Email: humanrights@suhakam.org.my; hasmyagam@suhakam.org.my
– H.E. Mr. Amran Mohamed Zin, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Fax: +41 22 710 75 01, Email: malgeneva@kln.gov.my
– Embassy of Malaysia in Brussels, Belgium, Fax: +32 2 762 50 49, Email: malbrussels@kln.gov.my
Authorites from Bangladesh:
· Ms. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Fax: +880 2 8113243, Email: pm@pmo.gov.bd
· Professor Dr. Gowher Rizvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister (International Affairs), Bangladesh. Fax: +880 2 9111312 Email: advinternational@pmo.gov.bd
· Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan, State Minister for Home Affairs of Bangladesh. Fax: +880 2 9515541. Email: stateminister@mha.gov.bd
· Md. Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Fax: +880 2 9562188. Email: fm@mofa.gov.bd
· H.E. Mr. Abdul Hannan, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 738 46 16, E-mail: mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int
· Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Brussels, Belgium, Fax: +32 2 646 59 98; Email: bdootbrussels@skynet.be
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Malaysia and Bangladesh in your respective country as well as to the EU diplomatic missions or embassies in Malaysia and Bangladesh.
***
Geneva-Paris, July 20, 2017
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80