Moderated by Ms. Delphine Borione, the Ambassador at large for Human Rights Ambassador in France, Shahanur Islam presented the state of human rights in Bangladesh, his journey as a human rights defender, and his project with the Marianne Initiative for human rights defenders in France.
During the presentation, Shahanur Islam highlighted the widespread violations of human rights in Bangladesh, including torture, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearance, arbitrary arrests, and detentions.
He also mentioned the violation against sexual, ethnic, social, and religious minority people, as well as the restriction and harassment against human rights defenders and organizations.
Shahanur Islam pointed out that the criminalization of consensual same-sex sexual conduct, the absence of constitutional recognition of the LGBT community, and the alarming religious extremism in Bangladesh are matters of grave concern.
Shahanur Islam shared his journey as a human rights defender, starting with his volunteer work during his Bachelor of Laws degree at Rajshahi University in 2000. After completing his Bachelor's and Master's degree in Law and Justice in 2006, he began his journey with providing legal support to victims of torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances by law enforcing agencies.
Shahanur Islam also became the first human rights defender and lawyer in Bangladesh to handle a case against Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite force in Bangladesh, alleging killing due to torture in 2008.
Shahanur Islam's potential role in preventing and protecting human rights, especially in cases of torture, extrajudicial killing, and enforced disappearance in Bangladesh, earned him the JusticeMakers Fellowship awarded by the Geneva-based International Bridges to Justice (IBJ).
In 2010, he established a non-profit trust called “JusticeMakers Bangladesh” to fight against all forms of discrimination and impunity towards minority communities, including victims of torture, extrajudicial killing, forced disappearance, and organized violence against women and children.
Shahanur Islam is now going to establish a non-profit organization in France called JusticeMakers Bangladesh, France-JMBF, aims to provide physical, legal, and moral support to victims of human rights violations, as well as education, awareness, training, and information dissemination.
The group also seeks to sensitise specific issues of human rights violations, conduct lobbying, campaigning, and advocacy, and ensure access to support from governments and human rights organisations for victims.
To achieve their objectives, the organization will offer direct legal aid, public interest litigation, legal counseling and advice, short-term shelter support, fact-finding investigations, urgent appeals, and statements.
They will also provide training, seminars, and workshops, as well as HR research, monitoring, and documentation, networking and institution building, and referral mechanisms. The organization will also have a 24-hour hotline service for anyone in need.
Shahanur Islam's work in advocating for human rights in Bangladesh and his new initiative in France will undoubtedly make a significant impact in ensuring the protection of victims of human rights violations.
The establishment of JusticeMakers Bangladesh, France-JMBF, is a step towards achieving justice and complete reparation for victims, as well as promoting awareness and education on human rights violations.
The program was attended by several distinguished individuals, including Ms. Aurelie Bellon, who heads the Human Rights, State Reform, and Fragile States department at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in France, Ms. Marie Soulie, who heads the Gender, Education, Population, and Youth team at the same ministry, Mr. Jean Marc Berthon, the Ambassador for the Rights of LGBT+ Persons in France, and Mr. Shad Joynal Abedin, a Redactor at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in France.
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