13 envoys call for probe into Mushtaq’s death in jail
Thirteen Ambassadors and High Commissioners stationed in Dhaka on Friday urged the government of Bangladesh to conduct a "swift, transparent, and independent inquiry" in to the full circumstances of article writer Mushtaq Ahmed’s death in police custody.
The diplomats of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries with missions in Bangladesh manufactured the call in a joint statement expressing their grave concerns over the death. The OECD is usually a grouping of 37 advanced economies.
"The undersigned Heads of Mission in Dhaka express our grave concern about the death in custody of Mushtaq Ahmed on 25 February 2021," reads the joint statement.
Ahmed have been held in pre-trial detention since 5 May 2020 beneath the provisions of the Digital Security Act (DSA).
"We understand that he previously been denied bail on several occasions and that concerns have been raised about his treatment while he was imprisoned," the explained.
The diplomats expressed their sincere condolences to his friends and family.
"We will continue to engage with the federal government of Bangladesh on our Governments’ wider concerns about the provisions and implementation of the DSA, and also questions about its compatibility with Bangladesh’s obligations under international human rights laws and standards," stated the diplomats.
The signatories of the statement are High Commissioner of Canada Benoit Préfontaine, Ambassador of Denmark Winnie Estrup Petersen, Ambassador of the EU Rensje Teerink, Ambassador of France Jean-Marin Schuh, Ambassador of Germany Peter Fahrenholtz, Ambassador of Italy Enrico Nunziata, Ambassador of holland Harry Verweij, Ambassador of Norway Espen Rikter-Svendsen, Ambassador of Spain Francisco de Asis Benitez Salas, Ambassador of Sweden Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador of Switzerland Nathalie Chuard, High Commissioner of the uk Robert Chatterton Dickson and Ambassador of america of America Earl R. Miller.
