“The first order of business for any interim government should be to ensure protection of people’s right to life, right to free speech and peaceful assembly and to find ways of de-escalating any potential for further violence,” said Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s regional director for South Asia, in a statement.
Any measures proposed to move forward from this deadly chapter in Bangladesh’s history need to be rooted in the principles of justice, accountability and non-recurrence, she said.
“The human rights violations in the last three weeks that have led to the death of more than 300 people, with thousands injured and arbitrarily arrested, should be independently and impartially investigated transparently,” said the regional director.
“It’s an opportune moment for any new interim government in Bangladesh to show solidarity with its people, protect the most vulnerable and not repeat the mistakes of the past.”