UN fact-finding team calls for submissions on human rights violations during July-August 2024 protests
The fact-finding team is mandated to establish facts, identify responsibilities, analyse root causes, and make concrete recommendations for Bangladesh to address past human rights violations and prevent their recurrence
At the invitation of the interim government, a UN Human Rights Office fact-finding team is conducting an independent and impartial investigation into alleged human rights violations that took place between July 1 and August 15 this year, arising from the recent protests.
The fact-finding team is mandated to establish facts, identify responsibilities, analyse root causes, and make concrete recommendations for Bangladesh to address past human rights violations and prevent their recurrence.
Individuals, groups, and organisations are invited to provide first-hand information that is not already on social media or otherwise in the public domain concerning the period of July 1 to August 15 2024 and human rights violations and abuses in the context of the protests during that period.
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Submissions should be sent to OHCHR-FFTB-Submissions@un.org.
The team also plans to conduct interviews with victims, law enforcement officers, medical practitioners, and witnesses.
The fact-finding mission is not a criminal investigation and is conducted independently of any national criminal justice process.
The fact-finding process is strictly confidential. The team will not be conducting any media interviews during the investigation phase.
"We appeal for respect for the confidentiality of the fact-finding process," said the UN Human Rights Office.
After its on-site examination and data analysis, the UN Human Rights Office will publish a detailed human rights report containing key findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
In a letter written to Turk on 25 August, Chief Adviser of the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus had requested him to start the investigation immediately, writing that his government want to ensure accountability through an impartial investigation by the UN regarding the incidents of human right violation during quota reform movement and the subsequent anti-discrimination student movement.
Following the call, a fact-finding team of the United Nations will visit Bangladesh and stay here for one month to properly investigate how the Awami League government had tried to suppress the anti-discrimination student movement in the July-August period.
