Bangladesh
14.01.04
Urgent Interventions
Bangladesh/South Korea : deportation of two human rights defenders
URGENT APPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
BGD 001/0104/OBS 003
Deportation/ Judicial proceeding
Bangladesh/South Korea
January12, 2004
The Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh and Korea.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), that Khademul Islam Bidduth, and Jamal Ali, two Bangladesh activists, were forcibly deported by the South Korean authorities on December 30, 2003, and are facing prosecution in Bangladesh.
According to the information received, the police arrested Khademul Islam Bidduth, 29 years old, a leader of the Equality Trade Union - Migrants' Branch (ETU-MB), and Jamal Ali, 17 years old, an active participant in the migrant movement, during a demonstration that took place on October 26, 2003. After their deportation to Bangladesh, Mr. Bidduth and Mr. Ali remained in detention until January 4, 2004, when they were released on bail. At the request of South Korean authorities, they are now facing prosecution by the Bangladesh government for being associated with trade unions and civil society groups in South Korea.
ETU-MB, the only migrant workers' trade union in South Korea, is leading protests against the South Korean government's brutal crackdown against undocumented migrant workers. Reports indicate that ETU-MB members and supporters have been physically attacked by riot police and immigration authorities during recent demonstrations. According to the same sources, the South Korean government has already made it clear that it intends to break the ETU-MB and deport its leaders.
The crackdown against undocumented migrant workers was launched on October 24, 2003. Since that date, around 27,000 migrant workers have reportedly been deported or have left the country. Currently, an estimated 120,000 undocumented migrant workers, who have been in South Korea for more than four years, are facing forced deportation by the South Korean government. (For more information about the situation of migrant workers in South Korea, see the urgent appeal released by the OMCT, Case KOR 090104.ESCR).
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities of Bangladesh urging them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Khademul Islam Bidduth and Jamal Ali;
ii. put an end to any legal action against them, since these actions only aim at curtailing their freedom of expression and assembly;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular article 1 which states that “every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level”, as well as its article 9.2 which provides that “everyone whose rights or freedoms are allegedly violated has the right, either in person or through legally authorized representation, to complain to and have that complaint promptly reviewed in a public hearing before an independent, impartial and competent judicial or other authority established by law and to obtain from such an authority a decision, in accordance with law, providing redress, including any compensation due, where there has been a violation of that person's rights or freedoms, as well as enforcement of the eventual decision and award, all without undue delay.”
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Bangladesh.
Addresses :
· Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Office of the Prime Minister, Gona Bhaban, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: + 880 2 811 3244/ 3243/ 1015 / 1490, Email:pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org
· Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh
· Ambassadeur, Ali, Toufiq ,Rue de Lausanne 65, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 46 16
Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities of Korea urging them to:
i. put an end to the actions of the Korean authorities against migrant activists and ETU-MB’s members and ensure that they be allowed to carry out their work without hindrance;
ii. ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular article 1 which states that “every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level”, as well as its article 5.b which stipulates that everyone has the right “(b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Korea.
Addresses :
Mr. Roh Moo-hyun, President, 1 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu Seoul 110-820, REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +822 770-0018Fax: +822 770-0347 or 770-0001 / +822 770-2579 (for appeal)
E-mail: president@cwd.go.kr or president@president.go.kr
Ms. Kang Kum-sil, Minister of Justice, 1 Jungang-ro, Gwachon-si, Gyonggi Province, 427-760 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Fax: +822 504 3337 / +822 503 7046 (HR Department) E-mail: jk.kim@moj.go.kr or kskang7@moj.go.kr
Mr. Kwon Ki Hong, Minister of Labor, 1 Jungang-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyonggi Province, 427-760 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +82 2 2110 2114Fax: +82 2 6494 6494
Chang-kook Kim, President National Human Rights Commission of Korea
16 Euljiro 1-ga, Jung-gu Seoul 100 842 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +82 2 2125 9700 Fax: +82221259811 /9666 E-mail: nhrc@humanrights.go.kr
Paris - Geneva, 12 January 2004
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
BGD 001/0104/OBS 003
Deportation/ Judicial proceeding
Bangladesh/South Korea
January12, 2004
The Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bangladesh and Korea.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), that Khademul Islam Bidduth, and Jamal Ali, two Bangladesh activists, were forcibly deported by the South Korean authorities on December 30, 2003, and are facing prosecution in Bangladesh.
According to the information received, the police arrested Khademul Islam Bidduth, 29 years old, a leader of the Equality Trade Union - Migrants' Branch (ETU-MB), and Jamal Ali, 17 years old, an active participant in the migrant movement, during a demonstration that took place on October 26, 2003. After their deportation to Bangladesh, Mr. Bidduth and Mr. Ali remained in detention until January 4, 2004, when they were released on bail. At the request of South Korean authorities, they are now facing prosecution by the Bangladesh government for being associated with trade unions and civil society groups in South Korea.
ETU-MB, the only migrant workers' trade union in South Korea, is leading protests against the South Korean government's brutal crackdown against undocumented migrant workers. Reports indicate that ETU-MB members and supporters have been physically attacked by riot police and immigration authorities during recent demonstrations. According to the same sources, the South Korean government has already made it clear that it intends to break the ETU-MB and deport its leaders.
The crackdown against undocumented migrant workers was launched on October 24, 2003. Since that date, around 27,000 migrant workers have reportedly been deported or have left the country. Currently, an estimated 120,000 undocumented migrant workers, who have been in South Korea for more than four years, are facing forced deportation by the South Korean government. (For more information about the situation of migrant workers in South Korea, see the urgent appeal released by the OMCT, Case KOR 090104.ESCR).
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities of Bangladesh urging them to:
i. guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Khademul Islam Bidduth and Jamal Ali;
ii. put an end to any legal action against them, since these actions only aim at curtailing their freedom of expression and assembly;
iii. ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular article 1 which states that “every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level”, as well as its article 9.2 which provides that “everyone whose rights or freedoms are allegedly violated has the right, either in person or through legally authorized representation, to complain to and have that complaint promptly reviewed in a public hearing before an independent, impartial and competent judicial or other authority established by law and to obtain from such an authority a decision, in accordance with law, providing redress, including any compensation due, where there has been a violation of that person's rights or freedoms, as well as enforcement of the eventual decision and award, all without undue delay.”
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Bangladesh.
Addresses :
· Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Office of the Prime Minister, Gona Bhaban, Sher-e Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fax: + 880 2 811 3244/ 3243/ 1015 / 1490, Email:pm@pmobd.org or psecretary@pmobd.org
· Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, Building 4, Dhaka, Bangladesh
· Ambassadeur, Ali, Toufiq ,Rue de Lausanne 65, CH-1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.bangladesh@ties.itu.int, fax: +4122 738 46 16
Please also write to the embassies of Bangladesh in your respective country.
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities of Korea urging them to:
i. put an end to the actions of the Korean authorities against migrant activists and ETU-MB’s members and ensure that they be allowed to carry out their work without hindrance;
ii. ensure the implementation of the provisions on the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN general Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular article 1 which states that “every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level”, as well as its article 5.b which stipulates that everyone has the right “(b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international instruments ratified by Korea.
Addresses :
Mr. Roh Moo-hyun, President, 1 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu Seoul 110-820, REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +822 770-0018Fax: +822 770-0347 or 770-0001 / +822 770-2579 (for appeal)
E-mail: president@cwd.go.kr or president@president.go.kr
Ms. Kang Kum-sil, Minister of Justice, 1 Jungang-ro, Gwachon-si, Gyonggi Province, 427-760 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Fax: +822 504 3337 / +822 503 7046 (HR Department) E-mail: jk.kim@moj.go.kr or kskang7@moj.go.kr
Mr. Kwon Ki Hong, Minister of Labor, 1 Jungang-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyonggi Province, 427-760 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +82 2 2110 2114Fax: +82 2 6494 6494
Chang-kook Kim, President National Human Rights Commission of Korea
16 Euljiro 1-ga, Jung-gu Seoul 100 842 REPUBLIC OF KOREA Tel: +82 2 2125 9700 Fax: +82221259811 /9666 E-mail: nhrc@humanrights.go.kr
Paris - Geneva, 12 January 2004
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Tel and fax: FIDH : +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT : (+ 41 22) 809 49 39 / 809 49 29
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch