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OHCHR Press conference: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk in Bangladesh - 30 October 2024
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Press Conferences | OHCHR
OHCHR Press conference: UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk in Bangladesh - 30 October 2024
STORY: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk concludes official visit to Bangladesh
TRT:03:11
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 30 October 2024 DHAKA, BANGLADESH
SHOTLIST
- Interior shots: various shots HC visiting the Nitol Hospital, where some of the students shot while participating in July’s protests.
- Exterior shot: Dhaka streets
- Interior shots: HC meeting with the with Heads of Reform Commissions
- Interior shot: wide shot press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “This unique, unprecedented moment in the history of Bangladesh is the result of young women and men having taken to the streets – at great personal risk – to express that they had had enough of being ignored and marginalized,”
- Cut away: press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “An inclusive approach, where every voice is heard and valued irrespective of class, gender, race, political ideology, identity or religion, will be key – reflecting the aspirations and diversity of the movement that sparked this transition,”
- Exterior shot: Traveling shot arriving at Chief Advisor office
- Interior shots: Türk meeting with Dr. Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor
- Interior shot: press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Women are at the heart of social justice movements, including the protests in July. They must be at the forefront during the transition and beyond. Women need to be visible, particularly in leadership and decision-making positions. The participation of ethnic and religious minorities in the reform structures, as well as Indigenous Peoples, is also crucial.”
- Interior shot: press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Criminal justice is key, but it is crucial to ensure that charges are not brought in haste, and that due process and fair trial standards are upheld throughout,”
- Interior shot: press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “It is a priority for my Office to support this dynamic, diverse country and its people through this period of transition, and to do everything we can to help ensure the protection and promotion of human rights for all in Bangladesh. ”
SCRIPT
Bangladesh’s interim government has inherited massive challenges on all fronts, including economic, development, social and political, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Wednesday as he wrapped up a two-day official mission to the country.
“This unique, unprecedented moment in the history of Bangladesh is the result of young women and men having taken to the streets – at great personal risk – to express that they had had enough of being ignored and marginalized,” Türk told a news conference in Dhaka.
“An inclusive approach, where every voice is heard and valued irrespective of class, gender, race, political ideology, identity or religion, will be key – reflecting the aspirations and diversity of the movement that sparked this transition,” he stressed.
“Women are at the heart of social justice movements, including the protests in July. They must be at the forefront during the transition and beyond. Women need to be visible, particularly in leadership and decision-making positions. The participation of ethnic and religious minorities in the reform structures, as well as Indigenous Peoples, is also crucial.”
On Wednesday, Türk met Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Türk welcomed the Chief Advisor’s statements that reinforce Bangladesh’s commitment to human rights, social justice, and accountability, that acknowledge the need for comprehensive reforms in various institutions, including law enforcement, as well as the need to address economic inequalities.
The pursuit of justice for the brutal violence against protesters and other people – including children – killed and seriously wounded in July and August is a priority, Türk flagged, noting that earlier on Wednesday he had visited Nitol Hospital, where some of the students shot while participating in July’s protests are still undergoing treatment, often requiring multiple surgeries.
“Criminal justice is key, but it is crucial to ensure that charges are not brought in haste, and that due process and fair trial standards are upheld throughout,” he said.
Türk also expressed support and solidarity for Bangladesh in hosting Rohingya refugees, noting that the situation in Rakhine State is growing worse. It is important to take a flexible and humanitarian approach, and to ensure non-refoulement and the protection of new arrivals, he stressed.
The High Commissioner said that his Office’s fact-finding mission is investigating allegations of attacks against minorities between 5 and 15 August. He said it was vital that the authorities respond quickly to any incidents reported, by conducting thorough investigations and holding perpetrators accountable. He also said that his Office, through a strengthened presence in Bangladesh, will continue to accompany and support the transition process.
“It is a priority for my Office to support this dynamic, diverse country and its people through this period of transition, and to do everything we can to help ensure the protection and promotion of human rights for all in Bangladesh, ” the High Commissioner said.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact
Ravina Shamdasani – travelling with the High Commissioner - ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org
Thameen Al-Kheetan - + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org
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Twitter: @UNHumanRights
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Press conference on the occasion UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk visits Bangladesh
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk visits Bangladesh from 29 to 30 October 2024, holds a number of meetings with senior officials and civil society representatives, among others.
During his visit, the High Commissioner met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, a number of advisers for different ministries, the Chief Justice, the army chief and the heads of several reform commissions.
Türk also made an address at the University of Dhaka, where he met with students involved in the recent protest movement.
He held meetings with UN agencies and members of diplomatic missions in Bangladesh.
For more information and media requests:
Traveling with the High Commissioner: Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
In Dhaka: Nadim Farhad: +880 1716454233 / nadim.farhad@un.org
In Geneva: Liz Throssell: +41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org and Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Tag and share
X @UNHumanRights
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
Teleprompter
Thank you for joining us today.
Of course, you know very well I have next to me the UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Volker Turk, and we have the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Miss Gwyn Lewis, as well as our Senior Human Rights Advisor in Bangladesh, Miss Huma Khan.
As you're aware, the **** Commissioner arrived yesterday morning and has had a series of meetings in Dhaka with government officials as well as civil society and other interlocutors.
[Other language spoken]
The the **** Commissioner will deliver some opening remarks.
We'll then open the floor to questions.
**** Commissioner.
[Other language spoken]
Well, good evening and thank you all for coming.
This has been a brief visit, but my office's in depth engagement and my personal connection and I dare say affection with this vibrant country and the resilient people of Bangladesh go back a long time.
This unique, unprecedented moment in the history of Bangladesh is the result of young men and women having taken to the streets at great personal risk to express that they had had enough of being ignored and marginalised.
Enough with the silencing of dissenting voices.
Enough with the acute inequality, discrimination, corruption and ***** of power that had taken hold in the country.
Human rights and social justice were the core of their demands.
Despite the grief and sense of loss.
In my discussions with civil society, with students, with officials and others over the past two days, there was palpable hope that this time, through this transition, things will be different.
This time there must be justice.
This time, reforms must be sustainable and durable, so that the abusive practises of the last decades are not repeated.
There are real opportunities and certainly **** expectations for fundamental change for the better, for a new approach to governance, development and economic policies grounded in human rights, drawing on the achievements of the recent movement and building strong foundations to overcome divisiveness, discrimination and impunity, Inequality, cycles of revenge and retribution, marginalisation, corruption and cross human rights violations must be consigned to the past.
My office, the Human Rights Office, is here to do everything for Bangladesh to succeed in this regard.
Students conveyed to me that they had no choice but to take to the streets as there was no outlet through the state's mechanism for their concerns to be heard.
To restore social cohesion and trust in institutions of the state, it will be crucial to rebuild the civic space that was progressively strangled in the last in recent years.
This will require reforming repressive laws as well as state institutions that have been in the habit of stifling descent.
[Other language spoken]
Only systemic change will ensure that the freedom of expression, of association and peaceful assembly and the right to political participation are respected.
I welcome steps taken to repeal the Cybersecurity Act and to withdraw old cases of speech crimes under this law and the Digital Security Act.
An inclusive approach where every voice is heard and valued, irrespective of class, gender, race, political ideology, identity or religion will be key, reflecting the aspirations and diversity of the movement that sparked this transition.
Women are at the heart of social justice movements, including the protests in July, and I pay tribute to them.
They must be at the forefront during the transition and beyond.
Women need to be visible, particularly in leadership and decision making positions.
The participation of ethnic and religious minorities in the reform structures, as well as of indigenous peoples, is also crucial.
I welcome statements by Chief Advisor Doctor Muhammad Yunus that reinforce Bangladesh's commitment to human rights, to social justice and accountability, that acknowledge the need for comprehensive reform in various institutions, including law enforcement, as well as the need to address economic inequalities.
The rapid establishment of commissioners to recommend reforms in the judiciary, the election system, the administration, the police, the Constitution and an anti Corruption Commission is commendable and I understand further commissions are being formed on health, media, labour rights and women's and affairs.
In my discussions today with several of the commissioners, we discussed the importance of trust building, inclusivity and the lessons that Bangladesh can draw from experiences in other countries that have grappled with similar issues.
All these reforms could be a powerful step towards easing decades of intense political division in the country and curbing the patronage politics that have weakened its democratic foundations.
The pursuit of justice for the brutal violence against protesters and other people, including children killed and seriously wounded in July and August is a priority.
Today I visited Nital Hospital where some of the students who were shot while participating in protests in July are still undergoing treatment, often requiring multiple surgeries.
After any period of repression, upheaval and violence, there needs to be a national process of truth and healing to move forward.
With so many cases to manage from just the recent past, criminal justice can only provide part of the answer.
The legitimate pain and anger of victims, their loved ones and society at large requires A comprehensive approach that includes fair criminal trials, truth seeking processes, reparations for victims and initiatives to memorialise and preserve the history.
The graffiti art around the protests and Doctor Yunus's visit to the site of a notorious secret detention facility, Inagor, which will now be turned into a museum, are powerful contributions to memorialisation.
Beyond this, there must be guarantees of non recurrence measures to ensure that this can never happen again.
I encourage national dialogue to design such a process which can find inspiration in some of the initiatives already taken by students to ensure healing.
I welcome Bangladesh's ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances and the appointment of a Commission of Enquiry.
I met with the Commission, which needs full support both at the national level but also at the international level, and it also needs sufficient time to clarify the fate of the victims and to support survivors.
Criminal justice is key, but it is also crucial to ensure that charges are not brought in haste and that due process and fair trial standards are upheld throughout, including in the International Criminal Tribunal.
In the International Crimes Tribunal, I found the interim government to beware, to be aware of the problems with the proceedings in the International Criminal Tribunal.
In the past, my office has provided comments on amending the ICT law to bring in, to bring it into line with international standards and to ensure the right to fair trial and that justice is served without compromising due process.
We will be looking at other ways that we can accompany and support this process.
I hope there will also be a public discussion on the use of the death penalty in the future.
My own view, informed by the law and by evidence, is clear.
The death penalty should be relegated to the past on the basis of the previous political affiliation, including members or supporters of the Awami League.
There are concerns that some charges are not founded on proper investigation, including a large number of ****** charges against journalists.
It is important not to repeat the patterns of the past.
I welcome the creation by the interim government of the committee to look into this matter as a tool to address the possible proliferation of false cases.
[Other language spoken]
Transitions are always fraught with risks, and this is all the more pronounced for vulnerable groups.
I commend the efforts made by students and others to protect minorities, and our fact finding Mission is investigating allegations of attacks against minorities between 5 and 15 August.
It is vital that the authorities respond quickly to any incidents reported.
By conducting thorough investigations and holding perpetrators accountable.
This will help build trust with minority communities, especially in light of troubling campaigns of misinformation and disinformation, as well as hate campaigns on social media.
In my discussions with the interim authorities, I also expressed support and solidarity for Bangladesh in hosting Rohingya refugees.
The situation in Rakhine State, which I'm sure all of you are following, is only growing worse and I was told there are also new arrivals in Bangladesh.
It is important to take a flexible and humanitarian approach and to ensure Nora Fullmon and the protection of newer rebels.
It is critical to ensure security in the camps as well as access to livelihoods and education.
I'm doing everything I can to galvanise the international community to focus and on this issue, to support Bangladesh and to step up the search for solutions.
The interim government has inherited massive challenges on all fronts including economic development, social, political and the rule of law.
Transitions are always complex and expectations are ****.
Time is of the essence, but long standing issues take time to resolve.
But the spirit of the student protests and the move the momentum for lasting change must be Promise of human rights will require courage and strength, but it will build trust and help to heal old divisions.
It is crucial that the strong winds of change are harnessed and directed with human rights as the compass.
I was encouraged that in many of my discussions there was a call for enhanced support of my office, including through a strengthened presence.
We look forward to concluding the discussions on the modalities of our enhanced presence in Bangladesh with the interim government.
The invitation for my office to deploy a fact finding mission on human rights violations in the context of protests which took place in July and August this year, was an important initiative by the interim governed by the interim authorities.
A stronger presence in Bangladesh will enable my office to accompany and support the transition process in this area in, in and in other areas, including by offering advice on legal and institutional, economic and social reforms, transitional justice, reconciliation and healing.
It is a priority for my office to support this dynamic, diverse country and its people through this period of transition, and to do everything we can to help ensure the protection and promotion of human rights for everyone in Bangladesh.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, **** Commissioner.
The statement will be emailed to you shortly.
[Other language spoken]
My colleagues over on the right side will pass along the mic.
We'll take three questions at a time and then the commissioner will answer.
Then we can do another round.
[Other language spoken]
Walker, and you have just mentioned about the national leading process.
So do you think the banning of political parties, especially, you know that the Army League which has been accused of masculinity and procedures during their regime, so there is a demand for banning army And at the same time the US has made a statement saying that the freedom of movement and freedom of inspection didn't show.
So what is your take on this?
Do you think it will be appropriate or not?
Hello, my name is Prasad Kareem, I work for the Juga.
My question supplementing my previous colleague that Brazilian government, Nigerian government already spent the student being of only student doing using the anti terrorism, anti Terrorism Act.
So what is your response about the bandwidth and in in addition, there is a demand from the minority communities to investigate the attacks on the minorities by the UN officers.
What is your response?
One more question, is there anyone?
[Other language spoken]
My name is you have visited several times in Bangladesh and all every time you meet political party and civil society.
My question is, can you make any difference in this meeting before and this time, because human rights workers are saved as before?
Let me start with the last question.
This is my first visit as **** Commissioner for Human Rights, but it is true, I have probably met many of you before because I used to work for the UN **** Commissioner for Refugees as one of the deputies, and I've come many times to to this country, including to Cox's Bazar.
Of course, there's a huge difference.
There is a huge difference in terms of openness, in terms of embracing human rights, in terms of discussing and debating the issues and in putting the issues on the table.
And that's extremely encouraging.
And I just hope that during this very difficult period of transition that we can provide the support for, for the people of this country to be able to thrive in a way that marries both the human rights and the development approach.
So yes, there is a huge difference on the issue of the national healing process and how this relates to also I mean the national healing process is has always to be one that is home grown and needs to be national ownership.
And for national healing to happen you need accountability, you need justice as I mentioned, you need truth telling, you need memorialisation and you need the what I mentioned as well, the non recurrence of the past.
Non recurrence of the past means that you are, when you it comes to political participation, for example, that you are guided by the very clear provisions of human rights law and human rights law is clear about it it it promotes the freedom of assembly, the freedom of association, the freedom of political participation.
There are indeed in human rights law certain restrictions, but the threshold is extremely ****.
So I hope that when you go through this process that human rights is your compass and that's your guide as you as you go through this very, very, you know, very difficult process of healing and and transition on the issue of anti terrorism, Look, we cannot there has been a lot of discussions about terrorism laws and and the so-called War on Terror.
We have seen the consequences of it because unfortunately, the labelling of terrorism has been done in a way that has often also included people who disagree, who are in political dissent.
So let's not forget that Nelson Mandela, our big hero, who has been healing a whole country, was considered a terrorist by the South African apartheid regime.
And unfortunately, we often see this resurgence of the use and the labelling of terrorism, as we saw in the past year, as well as something in order to quash dissent and and discussion.
And I think it's really important again, to learn the lessons also from this country in the way that terrorism was used and to stifle dissent.
Attacks on you mentioned reported attacks on minorities.
As I mentioned in my remarks, it is part of our fact finding as well.
As I said, protection of minorities is absolutely key.
It is part of the human rights framework.
And we need to make sure that if these incidents are reported that they are properly investigated.
But let's also face it, unfortunately, in a climate that is often very chaotic, there's also a lot of misinformation and disinformation, which is all the more important to go to the facts to identify the perpetrators and to bring them to justice.
If you'd like to ask a question, please put your hands up and my colleagues will pass the mic.
Yeah, I will actually start, if you don't mind.
I've received a question by e-mail for the **** Commissioner.
How does the UN human rights chief feel about the killing of individual members or supporters of the overthrown regime under the pretext of mob justice or mob atrocities?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Guess I have two or three questions.
May I do you have any plan to set up an office here And APS, do you have any time period in mind?
This is my first question.
And my second question is, as we know from our advisors to get interviews that you discussed about.
The issues that are concerning some about the I city.
So do you have any concerns or questions about fair trial whether like you'll be able to serve justice to all?
[Other language spoken]
Excellence over here.
[Other language spoken]
I work for my question regarding the office.
I think controversy in the Bangladesh regarding the office.
So I mean why human right is look like it's an A political tool all over the world.
Why your office and this kind of office is not open whether in UK or USA or in the western world?
Why is not happening?
[Other language spoken]
Why this?
I mean human issue has used to suppress the weak countries like Bangladesh, Nepal or in African countries.
[Other language spoken]
This is my first question and second question.
I mean do you see any change the human rights situation in Bangladesh?
I mean, apart from the government, what changes you have been watched?
First of all, I think there were this question about office.
What I said is when a country goes through a transition period, as in many other situations around the world, we can support a transition period because human rights is part of governance.
It's part of the new fabric of a society, it's part of a new social contract and there is a lot of support out there.
There are many experiences from around the world, they can be extremely useful.
And to be honest, I heard both from human rights defenders, from the students, from the civil society members that I met, from the members of government, that there was a lot of requests.
Can you share this with us?
What do you think about that?
How do you undertake, you know, tradition reform?
Do you have comments on this law?
And so there is a huge need to provide that support.
My function is to provide that support to countries that ask for it.
And that's exactly what we're doing.
I think we also need to, you know, look at human rights perhaps in a different way, because there is, unfortunately, a lot of misinformation also about human rights.
Some see it as a Western concept.
Some see it only from the perspective that it's civil and political.
Some see it as something that is maybe an imposition.
But you know, if I look at this country, well, first of all, the history of this country is rife with human rights and social movements on so many fronts coming to women's labour movements.
The what you did in order to.
Well, also the last couple of months, I mean, it was about freedom and it was a cry for freedom.
And human rights was part and parcel of what what students we're we're seeing and we're clamouring for.
And I think so human rights is not an issue of one part of the world.
It is an issue that is truly universal, which is why you have the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted 75 years ago by all member States and reiterated and reiterated again and again and again.
By the way, I have a presence in about 100 countries, including in the Western world.
For instance, we have a regional office in Brussels.
We have an office, I mean, of course, an office in New York.
So we have office presences.
The problem that I have is that I don't get enough financing.
I wish I could have an office everywhere, but unfortunately I don't get the funding.
So as a result, we have to prioritise, and I want to prioritise precisely the situation where there is most need.
And yes, transitions are often very yeah, they are what they are.
They are difficult sometimes.
And they they need support from everyone who can provide that support.
And that's the offer that I have made to the authorities here, to the society here.
And I, as I said, there was a lot of interest, a lot of also embracing of it.
And we need to honour that.
That's my duty to, to the people of Bangladesh, the issue of you ICT, yes, I, I think it's very clear from the perspective of human rights law.
And if you, if you look at the ICT and, and, and both in, in the way that the law was constructed and, and it was set up, there are issues of compliance with international rights standards and they need to be addressed.
And both when it comes to fairs, fair, fair, fair trial, but also to due process guarantees.
And it's really important to reform that.
I've discussed it with the authorities.
There was a very open mind to that.
And we just, and you know, that's often the problem.
You have an interim administration that has not even been in, in an in office for, for not even three months.
The expectations are extremely ****.
The changes need to be made are enormous.
So we also need to, well, first of all, provide them the support that that is required, but also exercise patience and manage our, our expectations.
But law reform is absolutely critical when it comes to that.
Then the issue of, you mentioned mob justice, of course, you know, violence committed by whoever commits it and hurts another human being.
Well, that obviously needs to be investigated.
So they, it's not acceptable to, to have mob justice of any kind.
And that's why you need the rule of law system to kick in and to provide precisely that type of response, because otherwise violence begets violence, as we see in so many situations around the world.
Yes, as I mentioned, when it comes to change, there is a very different Bangladesh that I'm discovering and I'm very grateful for that.
[Other language spoken]
Can do one more round of three questions.
Can you hold the mic closer please?
[Other language spoken]
There have been.
[Other language spoken]
Of attacks on accused defendants and even defence lawyers.
And the question is how modern cases implied.
So how does seems to happen.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So I mean, there have been a lot of human rights violation in July and August and mostly them carried out by the police forces.
But after taking in charge, this interim government had given immunity to all those police officers had been killed.
And how do you see that the police officers have who had been killed?
No fire, no cases should be filed instead.
[Other language spoken]
My first question, My second question is if an office is established in Dhaka, So what would their scope of work would be?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
This is me, Ahmed Reza and I'm working for a delegation named Joe Muna.
So my question is to you that you have a number of discussion with our advisor level and you have had discussion with the chief Advisor as well.
So and you talked to with them about the human rights situation in Bangladesh.
So my question is to you that do you have this that kind of confidence to the interim government that they can solve the situation or they can I mean that heal the situation in in greater perspective?
[Other language spoken]
Look on the first question which was around filing of cases, as I mentioned also during my statement there, I welcome very much that this was recognised as an issue because of course we cannot have the filing of cases on, on charges that are not properly, I mean properly done.
And it's therefore extremely important to resolve this.
And the, there is an, I understand a Commission that was set up precisely to address this issue.
It's, it's really important in such a period that we don't repeat the patterns of the past that chassis is properly served, which means it has to be properly investigated and charges need to be brought against precisely those who have committed crimes.
And then they are, they are also entitled to fair trial and and due process standards.
And I understand this Commission is currently looking into this and I welcome that they have done this.
Look, when it comes to any killings, they need to be investigated irrespective of the perpetrator.
That's very clear.
I mean, killings, all killings need to be investigated.
That's what human rights demands, because we cannot allow killings to happen with impunity.
Well, look, I when it comes to a strengthened, enhanced support to Bangladesh from a human rights perspective, it means that it would obviously accompany the reform process because all the areas of reform that are currently being undertaken, they all have a human rights component.
Be it the judicial reform, be it rule of law reform more generally, be it the issue of police reform, be it police reform means use of force.
You know, when do you use of force what is acceptable into human rights law?
We have had many examples in many countries around the world where precisely this issue had to be.
It's also about how to conduct proper investigations, how to build national ownership, including when it comes to the national human rights institutions here.
And so our task is really to provide enhanced support to this transition at this very critical juncture.
And look, I, I have met some remarkable individuals over the last two days.
And really my, I'm in awe for what, who I've met in, in this country.
So I have full confidence in the resilience, in the creativity, in the spirit of, of the people, including the ones who currently lead it.
I think it's also very important to bear in mind that transitions, as I mentioned, they are often fragile and they require a lot of support from everyone, both of course, first and foremost by the people of Bangladesh, but also by the international community.
And, and that has to be recognised.
And I really call for that support.
And that is also part of my mission here.
It was a mission of solidarity and it was a mission of support to Bangladesh.
Thank you very much.