Dear friends,
Odhikar’s Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan was taken to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court today at 10 o’clock in the morning and kept in the court custody lock-up till 2:00 pm. He was not presented before the Magistrate, even after his lawyers insisted that he be taken. At 2:00 pm Adilur was taken back to Kashimpur jail, with no news from the court. At 4:00 pm, his family and Odhikar learnt from the electronic media, including Somoy TV and ATN Bangla TV scroll that ‘Detective Branch of police filed a charge sheet against Adilur Rahman Khan and Odhikar’s Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan. Police are now trying to arrest Nasiruddin Elan.’ The Detective Branch of police also held a press conference today and their report says “charge sheets have been filed against Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan for distorting images by using photo shop and publishing a fabricated report, which enraged public sentiment. They also said that the list of 61 deceased was also false.” Police also submitted an application for issuing an warrant of arrest against Nasiruddin Elan. This news is also published in the online version of the Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
Interestingly, police could not show any proof that Odhikar distorted any image by using photo shop. After the allegation of extrajudicial killings perpetrated by law enforcement agencies on May 5-6, 2013 during the assembly of Hefazate Islam, Odhikar conducted a fact finding mission and came to know that 61 persons were killed in those two days.It is to be mentioned here that Odhikar did not publish any list of those who died on 5 and 6 May anywhere but only submitted the list of 61 deceased to the UN and four human rights organisations (Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Commission and Ain O Salish Kendra).
We understand this is another move for further crackdown on Odhikar. This is for your information and possible necessary action.
Best regards,
The Odhikar Team
