Rights group condemns killing of lawyer by ‘organised mob’ in Bangladesh

Paris, Jan 2 A leading international human rights organisation strongly condemned the brutal killing of a lawyer in Bangladesh by an "organised mob", warning that the incident reflects a broader pattern of violence targeting legal professionals across the country.

In its statement, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) stated 35-year-old Nayem Kibria, a pro–Awami League lawyer and a practising member of the Pabna District Judge Court, had travelled to Dhaka to seek bail from the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in a “false, politically motivated, and fabricated case” filed against him in connection with the “so-called” anti-discrimination movement of 2024.

Citing credible reports, the rights body stated that on the night of December 31, following an alleged minor collision between Nayem’s private vehicle and a motorcycle, “a group of unidentified extremist individuals forcibly dragged him out of his car, subjected him to severe and prolonged physical assault, vandalised his vehicle, and left him critically injured on the roadside”. He was later taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in Dhaka, where the attending physician declared him dead.

Expressing grave concern, the JMBF asserted that the heinous killing of Nayem constitutes a clear case of organised mob violence and represents a gross violation of the right to life, personal security, and access to justice, as guaranteed under the Constitution of Bangladesh and international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

“The killing of Advocate Nayem Kibria is not an isolated incident. Rather, it forms part of a wider pattern of killings, injuries, vandalism, intimidation, and repression carried out through organised mob violence under the current interim government. These acts have reportedly occurred in an environment of official inaction and silence, raising serious concerns regarding state responsibility and impunity,” the rights body quoted Robert Jean Paul Simon, Chief Advisor of JMBF and prominent French human rights activist, as saying.

According to the JMBF, a report on the "Crackdown against Lawyers in Bangladesh" under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, documented that at least 849 lawyers across the country have been victimised over the past 14 months through killings, arrests, fabricated cases, and intimidation. Furthermore, at least 197 individuals have reportedly been killed by organised mob violence in the past year alone, while to date, none of the perpetrators have been brought to justice.

The rights body called on the international community, including United Nations human rights mechanisms and relevant Special Rapporteurs, to closely monitor Nayem’s case and the broader pattern of mob violence and attacks against legal professionals in Bangladesh.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor