UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk Report on Bangladesh press conference
/
4:54
/
MP4
/
716.1 MB
Download

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk Report on Bangladesh press conference

This has been an exceptionally important endeavour. On 14 August last year, Dr. Mohammed Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, asked me to deploy a team to conduct an independent and impartial fact-finding into the human rights violations and abuses that took place between 1 July and 15 August of last year. I want to emphasise the importance of that invitation by Dr. Yunus,” Türksaid.

The fact-finding team received overall good cooperation from the authorities, as well as access to current and former senior officials and access to a lot of important official information. “I would also like to express my gratitude to the many victims and their families, witnesses, medical professionals and other experts, national and international civil society organisations who engaged with and assisted our team,” Türk added.

Among our key findings: There are reasonable grounds to believe that officials of the former Government, its security and intelligence apparatus, together with violent elements associated with the former ruling party, committed serious and systematic human rights violations. These include hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture and ill-treatment, including of children, as well as gender-based violence,” the High Commissioner said.

“These violations were carried out with the knowledge, coordination and direction of the former political leadership and senior security officials, with the specific goal of suppressing the protests and keep the former Government’s grip on power. Women and girls were at the forefront of the early protests and our report details they were specifically subjected to gender-based violence by security forces and Awami League supporters,” Türk said.

“There are reasonable grounds to believe that certain crimes against humanity have been committed, directed against protesters and their supporters.”

“We also documented serious acts of revenge that private individuals committed against supporters of the former ruling party, police officers and, in some cases, people belonging to minority and distinct religious groups in the immediate aftermath of the protests,” he said.

“Efforts to ensure accountability have begun, with many cases being lodged, including before Bangladesh’s domestic International Crimes Tribunal. There are major challenges and deficiencies in the current legal system, and significant steps need to be undertaken to ensure compliance with international standards of due process and fair trial,” the High Commissioner said.

The High Commissioner said his Office is available to advise the Government in addressing these issues. “There are also accountability avenues at the international level that can be considered such as universal jurisdiction as well as a referral by Bangladesh of this situation to the International Criminal Court,” he added.

“For violations of this gravity and magnitude, however, much more will need to be done than criminal trials. What is needed is a comprehensive process of truth-telling, reparation, memorialisation and reform as the path to national healing, and my hope is that this report will contribute to that,” he said.

According to the report thousands of people, including children, have suffered life-altering injuries. Resources will be needed to implement victim-centred reparation programs and provide compensation, long-term medical treatment, rehabilitation care and livelihood opportunities for victims.

The High Commissioner called for Bangladesh to institute profound reforms so that such serious violations will never occur again, and the repressive laws and institutions underpinning them are dismantled or completely overhauled.

He said that when he visited Bangladesh last October, he was deeply moved by the meetings with student leaders, civil society actors and officials who were working hard to build on the momentum to implement a new vision for a Bangladesh – one with human rights and social justice at its core.

“In recent decades, Bangladesh’s promise has too often been marred by bitter feuding, and patronage and identity politics. Today, this transition offers a chance to step back from cycles of revenge and move towards a new approach that brings the nation together in a spirit of trust-building and healing. Advancing accountability and human rights will be fundamental to achieving that transformation and change,” he concluded.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact

Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

STORY: Bangladesh: UN report finds brutal, systematic repression of protests, calls for justice for serious rights violations

TRT: 04:54

SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 12 February GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior Shot : Palais des Nations
  2. Wide shot: Podium
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: This has been an exceptionally important endeavour. On 14 August last year, Dr. Mohammed Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, asked me to deploy a team to conduct an independent and impartial fact-finding into the human rights violations and abuses that took place between 1 July and 15 August of last year. I want to emphasise the importance of that invitation by Dr. Yunus.”
  4. Cut Away: cover of report
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:I would also like to express my gratitude to the many victims and their families, witnesses, medical professionals and other experts, national and international civil society organisations who engaged with and assisted our team.”
  6. Cut Away: infographics
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:Among our key findings: There are reasonable grounds to believe that officials of the former Government, its security and intelligence apparatus, together with violent elements associated with the former ruling party, committed serious and systematic human rights violations. These include hundreds of extrajudicial killings, extensive arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture and ill-treatment, including of children, as well as gender-based violence.”
  8. Cut Away: briefing room
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:These violations were carried out with the knowledge, coordination and direction of the former political leadership and senior security officials, with the specific goal of suppressing the protests and keep the former Government’s grip on power. Women and girls were at the forefront of the early protests and our report details they were specifically subjected to gender-based violence by security forces and Awami League supporters.”
  10. Cut Away: briefing room
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:There are reasonable grounds to believe that certain crimes against humanity have been committed, directed against protesters and their supporters.”
  12. Cut Away: briefing room
  13. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:We also documented serious acts of revenge that private individuals committed against supporters of the former ruling party, police officers and, in some cases, people belonging to minority and distinct religious groups in the immediate aftermath of the protests.”
  14. Cut Away: briefing room
  15. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:Efforts to ensure accountability have begun, with many cases being lodged, including before Bangladesh’s domestic International Crimes Tribunal. There are major challenges and deficiencies in the current legal system, and significant steps need to be undertaken to ensure compliance with international standards of due process and fair trial.”
  16. Cut Away: briefing room
  17. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:There are also accountability avenues at the international level that can be considered such as universal jurisdiction as well as a referral by Bangladesh of this situation to the International Criminal Court.”
  18. Cut Away: briefing room
  19. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:For violations of this gravity and magnitude, however, much more will need to be done than criminal trials. What is needed is a comprehensive process of truth-telling, reparation, memorialisation and reform as the path to national healing, and my hope is that this report will contribute to that.”
  20. Cut Away: briefing room
  21. SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:In recent decades, Bangladesh’s promise has too often been marred by bitter feuding, and patronage and identity politics. Today, this transition offers a chance to step back from cycles of revenge and move towards a new approach that brings the nation together in a spirit of trust-building and healing. Advancing accountability and human rights will be fundamental to achieving that transformation and change.”


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk Report on Bangladesh press conference
Download

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.