By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh – On January 31st, Human Rights Watch (HRW) publicly criticized the Bangladesh government’s treatment of civil rights.  HRW alleged that government has curtailed basic rights during its emergency rule. Brad Adams, Asia Director at HRW, stated, “The interim government is abusing its emergency powers to target individuals who are trying to protect workers’ rights in Bangladesh’s most important export industry. This should set off alarm bells among donors and governments who don’t seem to understand or care how the authorities are using the state of emergency to systematically suppress basic rights.”

The unrest between labor rights activists and government officials has escalated in the last few weeks. On January 22nd, authorities arrested a staff member of the American Center for Labor Solidarity, and two days later authorities questioned a Danish national who works for the Workers Rights Consortium. Criminal charges have also been filed against at least a dozen union members. Other activists also complain that they are under constant surveillance, and authorities are monitoring them for “engineering or inciting subversive activities within the garment industry.” Most recently, Mehedi Hasan, a field worker for the Workers Rights Consortium, was arrested and is still in police custody for his help in organizing union activities.

Bangladesh law enforcement has confirmed that Mehedi Hasan and other labor leaders were involved in provoking the unrest and protests in the garment industry. Court sources have reported that Mehedi Hasan confessed to interrogators that he collected information about workers’ problems and emailed the information to WRC headquarters in Washington DC. He also confessed to encouraging garment workers to press for their demands and holding meetings with garment workers.

Relations between journalists and Bangladesh authorities are poor. Journalists allege that the army, intelligence agencies, and paramilitary groups have threatened and intimidated them, warning them against defaming the government and army. Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director at HRW, said, “The harassment and intimidation of numerous journalists and activists has instilled enough fear that the media is now censoring itself, especially when it comes to the military.”

Bangladesh is currently under emergency rule and has been so since January 2007. President Iajuddin Ahmed declared emergency rule because of weeks of violent street protests following electoral reforms. The government has promised new elections before the end of 2008.

For more information, please see:

The Daily Star – Provocation of Foreign Body, Labour Leaders Found in Probe –31 January 2008

Human Rights Watch – Bangladesh: Labor Activists in Export Sector Harassed –31 January 2008

Impunity Watch – Bangladesh Arrests Labor Rights Activist – 30 January 2008

International Herald Tribune – Bangladesh Rebuts Critical Human Rights Report– 1 February 2008

HANOI, Vietnam – The Vietnamese government released journalist, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, from jail.  The court sentenced her to nine months in prison for “disturbing the public order.”  Although Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was sentenced today, she was released for time already served.  Foreign reporters were denied access to her one-day trial at the Hanoi People’s Court.

Tran Khai Thanh Thuy was arrested in April of 2007 for posting articles critical of the government.  Two days prior to her arrest authorities entered her home and caught her posting the articles.  During the incident, police seized a memory stick that stored many of her articles.  In addition her articles, Tran Khai Thanh has written numerous novels, political essays, and was an editor of the dissident bulletin, Fatherland.

In January 2007, Human Rights Watch awarded Tran Khai Thanh Thuy the Hellman-Hammett prize for “her courage in the face of political repression.”Tran Kai Thanh Thuy also belongs to Bloc 8406, which is a group of pro-democracy activists.  The foreign ministry has ruled the group illegal.  Vietnamese authorities also have accused her of organizing an independent trade union and supporting a dissident human rights commission.

During Tran Khai Thanh Thuy’s imprisonment, the government-controlled press printed a range of charges against the journalist, which included conspiring with other democracy activists to overthrow the Vietnamese government, and urging foreign citizens to kidnap Vietnamese diplomats.

For more information, please see:

AP – Vietnam Sentences Dissident Writer – 31 January 2008

Earthtimes – Vietnamese Dissident Released from Prison – 31 January 2008

Reporters Without Borders – Journalist Tran Khai Thanh Thuy Released from Jail– 31 January 2008

PHNOM PENH ,Cambodia – The defense counsel for Nuon Chea moved to have Ney Thol removed from the trial. Nuon Chea’s attorneys allege Ney Thol cannot be impartial and has political ties to the Cambodian People’s Party. In the motion, the defense claims the “continued presence on the bench threatens to undermine the credibility and integrity” of the hearings.

The Khmer Rouge Tribunal dismissed the motion. Media spokesman for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Reach Sambath, stated, “I can only say that the motion was not upheld.”

Ney Thol is one of Cambodia’s most senior judges, an army general who heads a military court, and a member of the Cambodian’s People Party. During his career, Ney Thol has convicted two political opponents for natural security-related crimes. Previously, Ney Thol stepped down during preliminary hearings for Kaing Guek Eav because Ney Thol had been placed in a military prison in 1999.  Because of the experience, he stated that he was too close to the case.

Ney Thol could not be reached for comment, but has previously denied any allegations of bias.

For more information, please see:

Earthtimes – Cambodian Judge Accused of Bias Will Stay for Khmer Rouge Hearing – 30 January 2008

PR Inside – Defense Lawyers Demand Removal of Cambodian Judge from UN-Backed Tribunal – 30 January 2008

By Juliana Chan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – The People’s Daily, the leading community party newspaper in China, expressed in a commentary piece Tuesday that any attempt to use the Beijing Olympics to discredit China or force it to change policy is doomed to failure.

This comes in response to an intense week of increased international criticism of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. On Monday, Britain’s Prince Charles, who has long taken an interest in Tibet, said he would not be going to the opening ceremony of August’s games. Wang Hui, a spokeswoman for the Beijing Olympic organizing committee, responded to the Prince’s boycott as “unfair…[t]he Beijing Olympic Games belongs to the whole world, not only to China. Our slogan is ‘One World, One Dream.”

The Games have been linked to Darfur, Taiwan independence, religious liberties in Tibet, and freedom of expression. Beijing, however, is fighting to prevent the event from being politicized.

The commentary said that the international pressure has forced China to face “suggestions and accusations from all over the world, including misunderstandings, sarcasm and very harsh criticism.” Furthermore, China will never submit to taunting or political pressure from groups or governments wishing to use the Beijing Olympics to change Chinese policy.

Jiang Yu, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said China’s progress in protecting the rights and freedoms of its citizens should be recognized, and the international community should oppose acts disrupting the Olympic Games.

For more information, please see:

Reuters – Olympics-China says won’t submit to pressure – 29 January 2008

Guardian Unlimited – China hits out at attempts to politicise Olympics – 29 January 2008

CNN – Tibet group: Prince to boycott Games – 28 January 2008

By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh – On January 24^th, Bangladesh authorities arrested Mehedi Hasan, a field investigator for the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), for instigating protests against emergency rules.

On January 15^th, rioters ransacked more than a dozen garment factories. Rioters protested their lack of unpaid wages and unsafe working conditions. In order to break up the riots, Bangladesh police shot tear gas into the crowds. During the riots, over one hundred persons were injured, factories were damaged, and vehicles were vandalized. The garment factories involved in the riots resumed operation on January 16^th.

Authorities arrested Mehedi Hasan at the Zia International Airport before he boarded a plane to Bangkok. According to an unnamed official, Mehedi Hasan was taken to court on Sunday. Authorities will detain and question him for up to four days. In addition to Mehedi Hasan, authorities have arrested ten other labor leaders. Authorities identified the relevant persons after watching video of the riots taken by television stations.

Mehedi Hasan’s employer, WRC, is an independent monitoring group. It investigates working conditions at factories that make goods for the United  States. It specifically investigates factories that make college and university apparel. WRC’s Executive Director Scott Nova protested the arrest in a statement, “There is no legitimate reason for Mehedi Hasan’s arrest and we call upon the government of Bangladesh to effect his immediate and unconditional release. We are deeply concerned for his safety.”

Other groups have joined the WRC in protesting the arrest. Labor Behind the Label (LBL) and the War on Want (WW) have also called for the Mehedi Hasan’s release. LBL has written letters to all British fashion brands, asking them to make formal inquiries about the arrest. In the letter LBL writes, “It is clear that Mr. Hasan’s arrest is related to the labour rights monitoring work he has performed on the WRC’s behalf. Labour rights advocates in Bangladesh are very concerned that the security forces will physically mistreat Mr. Hasan…All of these charges are false to the point of absurdity.” WW’s John Hilary, campaign and policy director, said, “It is unacceptable that researchers should be locked up for defending workers’ rights. We call for the immediate release of Mr. Hasan and for the rights of all trade unionists to be respected.”

Bangladesh is currently under emergency rule. A military-back interim government runs the Bangladesh government. Civil rights have remained suspended while security forces operate under the emergency rule.

For more information, please see:

AP – Police Arrest Bangladesh Rights Activist – 29 January 2008

Independent Bangladesh – Cases Files Against RMG Workers, Leaders – 18 January 2008

War on Want – Bangladesh Government Cracks Down on Workers’ Rights Monitors – 28 January 2008