A Bangladesh court has sentenced two prominent human rights activists to two years in prison, in what critics say is part of a pre-election crackdown.
Adil-ur-Rehman Khan and Nasiruddin Ilan of rights group Odhikar have always denied decades-old allegations that they published a report with false information.
But prosecutors said their report on security force killings in 2013 “targeted” the country’s image.
The two were convicted on Thursday after a 10-year trial in Dhaka.
Dozens of international human rights groups have called for the immediate release of the two men, saying the couple was denied a fair trial.
The two activists have spent decades documenting thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings, disappearances of opposition activists and police brutality in Bangladesh.
He was convicted in 2013 for a report he published about protests by an Islamist group that sought to impose a strict form of religion on Bangladeshi society.
His report stated that security forces killed at least 61 people, including children, in an overnight operation in Dhaka to remove protesters.
Soon after the report was published, Khan and Ilan were detained and later released on bail. In recent days, the charges have been raised again by prosecutors.
“He was sentenced to two years in prison for publishing and spreading false information, hurting religious sentiments and damaging the image of the state,” prosecutor Nazrul Islam Shamim told JEE News.
Human Rights Watch pointed out that the prosecution of his case did not proceed until 2021—while U.S. sanctions against Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary force for alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings since 2009. were imposed.
Last week, the United Nations also highlighted that the two men had faced harassment and threats while out on bail.
Rights groups have called for the immediate release of the two men, saying their trial was marred by “violations of due process” such as failure to provide key information a day before the trial.
“In addition to targeting Odhikar’s leaders, the government interfered with the human rights organization’s ability to operate by blocking their access to funds and leaving its application to renew its registration pending since 2014,” 39 read a statement signed by international rights groups.
Sheikh Hasina’s government has been accused of targeting activists and political opponents since she became Bangladesh’s leader in 2009 – allegations she denies.
Last year, the government revoked Odhikar’s operating license, accusing him of tarnishing the country’s image.
Under the leadership of Khan and Elan, Odhikar worked closely with the United Nations and international human rights groups. His reports were also cited in the US State Department’s country reports.
The jailing of the activists comes just four months before Bangladesh’s next general election and amid growing calls to ensure free and fair elections.
