Thursday July 20, 2017
10:13 PM GMT+8
10:13 PM GMT+8
JULY
20 -- Madpet (Against Death Penalty and Torture) is appalled by the
unjustifiable detention of human rights defender Adilur Rahman Khan by
the Immigration authorities at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at
about 4.00am today(20/7/2017).Commission in Bangladesh, before he could
leave Bangladesh and come to Malaysia. . Such visa’s are never simply
issued as of right, but only after a thorough vetting of the applicant
and his reasons for coming to Malaysia.
As such, the arrest and detention of Adilur Rahman Khan is most unjust
and unreasonable. If the Malaysian government did not want Adilur Rahman
Khan to enter Malaysia, they should never have issued him the required
entry visa in Bangladesh.
In the past, Malaysia have also sadly prevented HR Defenders, like
Singaporean human rights defender Han Hui Hui and Indonesian Mugiyanto
Sipin from entering Malaysia but they were from countries whose citizens
had to get their visa on arrival when they reached Malaysia, whereas
Adilur Rahman Khan had to first apply and obtain his visa first from the
Malaysian embassy before travelling to this country. As such, this
makes his current arrest, detention and possible deportation back to
Bangladesh most unjust.
“We detained him over immigration issues. We are checking his
documents. Adilur will not be allowed to enter Malaysia. He will be
deported,” Malaysian immigration officer Shely was quoted by Bangla
Tribune as saying.(Dhaka Tribune, 20/7/2017). This is absurd, as any
immigration issues should have been considered before the Malaysian High
Commission issued him his visa.
Adilur Rahman Khan, the Secretary of the Bangladeshi Human Rights
Organisation, Odhikar, who is a member of the Anti-Death Penalty Asia
Network(ADPAN), was coming to Malaysia to attend the General Assembly of
ADPAN on 20/7/2017, and thereafter the “Abolition of the Death Penalty
in Malaysia and in Asia” Malaysia National Conference and Training
Workshop 0n 21-22 July 2017. Tan Sri Razali Ismail (Chairperson of the
Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) will be delivering the
keynote address at this National Conference. The Minister Dato' Sri
Azalina binti Othman Said has also been invited to deliver a keynote
address.
Adilur Rahman Khan is also currently a member of OMCT General Assembly
and a FIDH Vice-President. He was also awarded the 2014 Gwangju Prize
for Human Rights.
As such, Madpet
- Calls on the Malaysian government to immediately release Adilur Rahman Khan and allow him to enter Malaysia;
- Calls on Malaysia to adequately compensate for all the suffering and deprivation of rights suffered by Adilur Rahman Khan, by reason of the detention of him at the KLIA International Airport
- Calls on Malaysia, in the event that Adilur Rahman Khan is prevented entry and is subsequently deported, to apologize to him for all the suffering and rights violated brought about by most likely the failings of the High Commission of Malaysia in Bangladesh, and to pay him a just compensation
- Calls on Malaysia to stop denial of entry into Malaysia of Human Rights Defenders, and to abide by the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms)
*This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online - Malay Mail Online, 20/7/2017
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