Filing of cases against journalists, individuals, AL supporters on the basis of political affiliation a matter of concern, he says
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has said on Wednesday that all killings during the July-August movement need to be investigated and that there needs to be a national process of truth and healing to move forward.
"When it comes to any killings, they need to be investigated, irrespective of the time trip. All killings need to be investigated. That's what human rights demand because we cannot allow killings to happen with impunity," he said at a press briefing at a local Hotel before ending his two-day visit to Dhaka on Wednesday.
"The UN Human Rights Office, is here to do everything for Bangladesh to succeed in achieving these objectives," Turk assured.
"The rapid establishment of commissions to recommend reforms in the judiciary, election system, administration, police, the Constitution and an Anti-Corruption Commission is commendable and I understand further commissions are being formed on health, media, labour rights and women's affairs," he said.
He felt that all these reforms could be a powerful step toward easing decades of intense political division in Bangladesh and curbing the patronage politics that have weakened its democratic foundations.
Asked whether banning the Awami League comply with his recommendation of national healing, the UN Rights chief said,
"You need what I mentioned as well, the non recurrence of the past. Non recurrence of the past means that you are, when it comes to political participation, for example, that you are guided by the very clear provisions of human rights law. And human rights law is clear that it promotes the freedom of assembly, the freedom of association, the freedom of political participation. There are, indeed, in human rights law, certain restrictions, but the threshold is extremely high".
"I mean, the National healing process has always to be one that is homegrown and needs to have national ownership. And for national healing to happen, you need accountability. You need justice, as I mentioned".
Asked to comment on the ban on BCL, the student outfit of the Awami League, on charges of terrorism, he said, "There has been a lot of discussions about terrorism laws and the so- called War on Terror, we have seen the consequences of it because, unfortunately, the labelling of terrorism has been done in a way that has often also included people who disagree, who are in political dissent."
"This unique, unprecedented moment in the history of
Bangladesh is the result of young women and men having taken to the streets - at great personal risk - to express that they had had enough of being ignored and marginalized. Enough with the silencing of dissenting voices," he said.
"Enough with the acute inequality, discrimination, corruption and abuse of power that had taken hold in the country. Human rights and social justice were the core of their demands.
Despite the grief and sense of loss, in my discussions with civil society, students, officials and others over the past two days, there was palpable hope that this time, through this transition, things will be different," he added.
"This time, there must be justice. This time, reforms must be sustainable and durable, so the abusive practices of the last decades are not repeated," Turk said adding 'there are real opportunities, and certainly high expectations, for fundamental change for the better - for a new approach to governance, development and economic policies grounded in human rights, drawing on the achievements of the recent movement and building strong foundations to overcome divisiveness, discrimination and impunity'.
To restore social cohesion and trust in institutions, it will be crucial to rebuild the civic space that was progressively strangled in recent years, he said.
"This will require reforming repressive laws, as well as State institutions. that have been in the habit of stifling dissent. Old habits die hard - only systemic change will ensure that the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly and the right to political participation are respected".
About the trial of the perpetrators of the July mass killing and atrocities, he said, "Criminal justice is key, but it is crucial to ensure that charges are not brought in haste, and that due process and fair trial standards are upheld throughout, including in the International Crimes Tribunal. I found the interim government to be aware of the problems with the proceedings in the International Crimes Tribunal in the past".
"My Office has provided comments on amending the ICT law, to bring it in line with international standards and ensure the right to fair trial, and that justice is served without compromising due process. We will be looking at other ways we can accompany and support this process.
I hope there will also be a public discussion on the use of the death penalty in the future".
"My own view, informed by evidence, is clear: the death penalty should be relegated to the past. It is the key that criminal cases are not filed against individuals solely on the basis of their previous political affiliation, including members or supporters of Awami League".
He also said, there are concerns that some charges are not founded on proper investigation, including a large number of murder charges against journalists.
"It is important not to repeat the patterns of the past. I welcome the creation by the interim government of a committee to look into this matter as a tool to address the possible proliferation of false cases. It is essential to prioritize due process".
About the UN investigation, he said "Our fact-finding mission is investigating allegations of attacks against minorities between 5 and 15 August. It is vital that the authorities respond quickly to any incidents reported, by conducting thorough investigations and holding perpetrators accountable. This will help build trust with minority communities, especially in light of troubling campaigns of misinformation and disinformation as well as hate campaigns on social media".
"With so many cases to manage from just the recent past, criminal justice can only provide part of the answer. The legitimate pain and anger of victims, their loved ones, and society-at-large requires a comprehensive approach that includes fair criminal trials, truth- seeking processes, reparations for victims and initiatives to memorialize and preserve the history," he added.
Welcoming steps taken by the government to repeal the Cyber Security Act, and to withdraw old cases of speech crimes under this law and the Digital Security Act, he noted that "An inclusive approach, where every voice is heard and valued irrespective of class, gender, race, political ideology, identity or religion, will be the key - reflecting the aspirations and diversity of the movement that sparked this transition".
His visit follows the deployment of a fact-finding mission by his office, OHCHR, to look into human rights violations committed from July 1 to August 15 when hundreds of people were killed and many more injured.
"After any period of repression, upheaval and violence, there needs to be a national process of truth and healing to move forward," Volker Türk said while offering the support of his office.
He also highlighted the shortcomings of the International Crimes Tribunal and lamented the filing of cases against individuals solely on the basis of their previous political affiliation, including members or supporters of Awami League, and against journalists without proper investigation.