In November 2012, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) sent an international fact-finding mission to Bangladesh in the framework of their joint programme, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders being alerted by reports from various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including their Bangladeshi member-organisation Odhikar.
The objective of the mission was to investigate and analyse the political and legal environment in which human rights defenders operate in Bangladesh in order to better understand the challenges and trends of repression faced by civil society, both legally and in practice. The mission also aimed at identifying and assessing the responsibility of the various actors responsible for violations of the rights to freedoms of expression, assembly and association of human rights defenders in Bangladesh. Special attention was paid to the state of freedom of association of trade unions and their leaders. The mission also aimed to identify recommendations to the Government of Bangladesh, the international community and other relevant stakeholders.
obs_rapportbangladeshuk-ld (full text in Bangla, PDF)
