Don’t give impunity to RAB men for HR violations

The European Union (EU) Parliament in a resolution called upon Bangladesh government Thursday to stop giving impunity to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members for violation of human rights.
According to the newsroom of the parliament, human rights violations by the RAB, an elite strike force created 10 years ago comprising both military and police officers, should stop, Members of European Union (MEPs) said with a call upon the Bangladesh authorities to put an end to RAB's impunity.
The MEPs also urged the government to ensure that labour laws are enforced and bring them in line with the International Labour Organisation standards.
It said the leaders ask that the Donor Trust Fund mechanism, created by the Rana Plaza Coordination Committee to help victims and survivors following the Rana plaza factory collapse in 2013, be made mandatory, as voluntary company donations have only reached USD 17 million, leaving USD 23 million outstanding.
A total of three resolutions were passed through voting by the MEPs on the day.
Two other resolutions were: calling upon the Azerbaijani authorities to undertake long-overdue human rights reforms without further delay and strongly condemning the detention of human rights campaigner Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, who was arrested on May 15 last and has been held in pre-trial detention ever since and called for his immediate release.  
UNB adds: Earlier, the EP had a debate on a joint motion for a resolution on human rights violations in Bangladesh.
The EP, according to the joint motion, commended the Bangladesh government for the progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which has resulted in significant real-life improvements for millions of its citizens.
It, however, expressed concern over continued human rights violations by Rab and other security forces, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of opposition activists.
The EP joint motion reiterated its call for the abolition of the death penalty and welcomed the Supreme Court decision to commute the death sentence handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee to imprisonment until death.
It called upon the government to immediately release anyone subjected to enforced disappearance and urged the government to establish an independent body to investigate such cases.
The EP reiterated its call to establish an effective and fully independent human rights commission.
It urged the government to recognise and respect freedom of the press and media and to allow human rights groups to play an important role in strengthening accountability and documenting human rights abuses.
The EP joint motion also urged the Bangladesh authorities to revoke the new media policy and abide by their obligations to allow free speech and expression.