CCBE Letter to PM: Continuous threats and harassment against lawyer Shahanur Islam

Subject: Continuous threats and harassment against lawyer Shahanur Islam

Your Excellency,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), which represents the bars and law societies of 46 countries, and through them more than 1 million European lawyers. The CCBE places great emphasis on respect for human rights and the rule of law and is particularly concerned with the situation of human rights defenders around the world.

The CCBE would like to express its serious concern over the continuous threats and harassment against lawyer Shahanur Islam.

According to information we have received, lawyer Shahanur Islam received several death threats in late August and early September 2022 due to his continues work as a lawyer in defence of human rights.

It is reported that on 25 August and 6 September 2022 he received death threats messages along with his wife and kid over his mobile phone. It is reported that the messages threatens him to stop to his human rights work in defence of LGBTQI+ victims or otherwise he will be killed brutally along with his family members.

Lawyer Shahanur Islam is a well-known human rights lawyer who has defended the rights of ethnic, religious, political and sexual minorities, as well as in cases of torture, extrajudicial killing.

It is not the first time that the lawyer is under attack. The CCBE indeed already wrote to Your Excellency expressing serious concerns over the threats, physical assault and harassment against him.

In this context, the CCBE wishes to draw your attention to the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (attached), in particular Principles 16, 17 and 18 on Guarantees for the functioning of lawyers and Principle 23 on Freedom of expression and association.

In view of the above, the CCBE respectfully urges Your Excellency to do everything in your power to urgently provide adequate protection to lawyer Shahanur Islam and his family, since it is believed that this continuous acts of harassment against him are based on his legitimate activities as a human rights lawyer. The CCBE also respectfully asks Your Excellency to launch a full and impartial investigation into these death threats messages is being carried out, with a view to bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards. In addition, the CCBE wishes to recall that all lawyers should be able to carry out their professional duties without fear of reprisal, hindrance, intimidation or harassment in order to preserve the independence and integrity of the administration of justice and the rule of law.

Yours sincerely,

James MacGuill SC President

To read orginal letter visit the following link: https://www.ccbe.eu/fileadmin/speciality_distribution/public/documents/HUMAN_RIGHTS_LETTERS/Bangladesh_-_Bangladesh/2022/EN_HRL_20221004_Bangladesh_Continuous-threats-and-harassment-against-lawyer-Shahanur-Islam.pdf

============================================================ Advocate Shahanur Islam | An Young, Ascendant, Dedicated Human Rights Defender, Lawyer and Blogger in Bangladesh, Fighting for Ensuring Human Rights, Rule of Law, Good Governance, Peace and Social Justice For the Victim of Torture, Extra Judicial Killing, Force Disappearance, Trafficking in Persons including Ethnic, Religious, Sexual and Social Minority People.