Contents
1. Action Required
2. Summary
3. Background
4. Sample Letters
1. Action Required
Please write an urgent letter to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in your country demanding to commute the death sentence handed down to Jamaat leader Sayeedi immediately.
2. Summary
Bangladesh Jamaat leader, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, sentenced to death under the war crimes tribunal on 28 February 2013, is at risk of execution. He has denied the charges saying they are politically motivated.
IHRC requests all campaigners to take immediate action and urge for the withdrawal of his death sentence. Please find sample letters at the end of this alert.
3. Background
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi is the Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islaami in Bangladesh. He was sentenced to death by hanging on 28 February 2013 for war crimes committed during the 1971 war in Bangladesh.
Sayeedi has denied the charges saying they are politically motivated. He is amongst several other Jamaat leaders who are being prosecuted for alleged war crimes.
Sayeedi’s is yet another death sentence to be handed down by the ruling party to opposition leaders. Under the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), set up in 2010, Awami League, has convicted many Jamaat leaders charged with war crimes committed during the 1971 war. The ICT has been condemned by well-known human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the International Centre for Transnational Justice, the International Bar Association and the UK Bar Human Rights Committee. It has been condemned for failing to meet international standards of justice and for allegedly being used as a tool to weaken political rivals.
According to reports received by IHRC, ‘it is now public knowledge that Sayeedi’s conviction and sentence is the result of collusion between the government, the prosecutor, the ICT chairman Mohamed Nizamul Haque and a lawyer of Bengali origin living in Belgium Dr. Ahmed Ziauddin.’ For further information on his case please read HERE and HERE.
Sayeedi’s trial and sentencing lead to nationwide protests, strikes and violence as clashes were reported between Islami Chahtra Shibir, the student wing of the Jamaat, and the police. Scores were reported dead. An estimated 2000 were injured all over the country. According to reports, ‘it was the worst day of political violence in Bangladesh in decades.’
IHRC has received reports that Sayeedi is at a risk of execution. IHRC urges all campaigners to write to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to your country as well as your Foreign Secretary and urge for an immediate rescinding of the death sentence.
4. Sample Letters
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Sample letters are given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you send and the reply you received, to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters.
a. Letter to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to your country
[For UK campaigners]
[Your Name]
[Your address]
H.E. Mohamed Mijarul Quayes
Your Excellency Mohamed Mijarul Quayes,
Assalam Alykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
Re: Calling for immediate withdrawal of death sentence against Jamaat leader Sayeedi
I demand an immediate withdrawal of the death sentence handed down to Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the current Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islaami.
Sayeedi, who was arrested and detained under allegations of war crimes has categorically denied all charges against him and considers them politically motivated.
The ICT has been condemned by well-known human rights organisations and eminent lawyers for lack of transparency, failing to meet international standards of justice and for allegedly being used as a tool to weaken political rivals.
Appalling discrepancies have been reported in Sayeedi’s trial including collusion between lawyers and government ministers and intimidation and biased selection of witnesses.
The recent execution of Jamaat-e-Islaami former leader Abdul Kader Mullah on 12 December 2013 under this allegedly unjust system of law has horrified me. I fear the same for Sayeedi.
The government of Bangladesh cannot use the horrors of the war of independence as a pretext to persecute political opposition figures.
I therefore demand that Sayeedi’s death sentence is immediately commuted. I look forward to your immediate annulment of his death sentence.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
b. Letter to the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh
[Your Name]
[Your address]
H.E. Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali MP
Email: http://www.mofa.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1&Itemid=29
Honourable Foreign Minister,
Assalam Alykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
Re: Calling for immediate withdrawal of death sentence against Jamaat leader Sayeedi
I demand an immediate withdrawal of the death sentence handed down to Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the current Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islaami.
Sayeedi, who was arrested and detained under allegations of war crimes has categorically denied all charges against him and considers them politically motivated.
The ICT has been condemned by well-known human rights organisations and eminent lawyers for lack of transparency, failing to meet international standards of justice and for allegedly being used as a tool to weaken political rivals.
Appalling discrepancies have been reported in Sayeedi’s trial including collusion between lawyers and government ministers and intimidation and biased selection of witnesses.
The recent execution of Jamaat-e-Islaami former leader Abdul Kader Mullah on 12 December 2013 under this allegedly unjust system of law has horrified me. I fear the same for Sayeedi.
The government of Bangladesh cannot use the horrors of the war of independence as a pretext to persecute political opposition figures.
I therefore demand that Sayeedi’s death sentence is immediately commuted. I look forward to your immediate annulment of his death sentence.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
c. Letter to Your Foreign Secretary
[For UK campaigners]
[Your Name]
[Your address]
Rt Hon Mr William Hague
Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London, SW1A 2AH
Dear Rt Hon Mr William Hague,
Re: Urge the Bangladeshi government to commute death sentence of Jamaat leader Sayeedi
I urge you to pressurize the Bangladeshi government to immediately commute the death sentence against Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, the current Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islaami.
He was sentenced to death by hanging on 28 February 2013 for war crimes committed during the 1971 war in Bangladesh. There are reports that he will be executed soon.
Sayeedi has denied all charges against him saying they are politically motivated. The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, under which Sayeedi and several other Jamaat leaders are being tried has been condemned by human rights organisations and eminent lawyers for lack of transparency, failing to meet international standards of justice and for allegedly being used as a tool to weaken political rivals.
Appalling discrepancies have been reported in Sayeedi’s trial including collusion between lawyers and government ministers and intimidation and biased selection of witnesses.
The recent execution of Jamaat-e-Islaami former leader Abdul Kader Mullah on 12 December 2013 under this allegedly unjust system of law has horrified me. I fear the same for Sayeedi.
Please, take immediate action and urge your Bangladeshi counterparts to annul his death sentence lest another possibly innocent life is sent to the gallows for no reason except valid opposition of the rulers.
Yours sincerely,
[Name]
List of Foreign Ministers
1) Netherlands
Frans Timmermans
Minister of Foerign Affairs
PO Box 20061, 2500 EB The Hague, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 70 3486486
Fax: + 31 70 3484848
Email: https://www.government.nl/contact/contact-form
2) Australia
The Hon Julie Bishop MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
PO Box 2010
Subiaco, WA, 6904
Tel: (08) 9388 0288
Fax: (08) 9388 0299
Email: Julie.Bishop.MP@aph.gov.au
3) Canada
Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Honourable John Baird
Enquiries Service (BCI)
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G2
Canada
Tel: 1-800-267-8376 (toll-free in Canada)
Tel: 613-944-4000 (in the National Capital Region and outside Canada)
Fax: 613-996-9709
Email: https://www.international.gc.ca/department-ministere/form_contact-formulaire_contacter.aspx?lang=eng
4) USA
Secretary of State John F. Kerry
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Email: http://contact-us.state.gov/app/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5MTQyNjg2My9zaWQvVElOYy0tTGw%3D
5) Malaysia
The Honourable DATO’ Sri Anifah Hj. Aman
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra, No 1, Jalan Wisma Putra, Precinct 2, 62602 PUTRAJAYA
Tel: +603-8000 8000
Fax: 603-8889 1717, 603-8889 2816
Email: webmaster@kln.gov.my
6) France
Laurent Fabius
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Direction de la communication et de l’information
37, Quai d’Orsay 75700 Paris France
Fax: 33 1 43 17 47 53
Email: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/navigation/email-us/article/contact-form
7) South Africa
Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
Minister of International Relations and Co-operation of the Republic of South Africa
Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
Republic of South Africa
Tel: + 27 12 351 1000
Fax: + 27 12 329 1000
8) Turkey
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoğlu
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Sadık Ahmet Cad. No:8 Balgat / ANKARA – TURKEY 06100
Tel: +90 (312) 292 10 00
Email: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/contact-us.en.mfa
9) Bahrain
H.E Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
P.O. Box 547
Government Road
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973-17227555
Email: http://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?tabid=79&language=en-US
10) Sweden
Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt
Government Offices of Sweden
SE-103 33 Stockholm
Tel: Phone: +46 8 405 24 88
Email: utrikesdepartementet.registrator@gov.se
List of Bangladeshi Ambassadors in your country
1) USA
Akramul Qader
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, DC
3510 International Drive NW
Washington, DC 20008
USA
http://www.bdembassyusa.org/index.php?page=contact
2) Sweden
H. E. The Ambassador Mr. Md. Golam Sarwar
Embassy of Bangladesh, Stockholm
Anderstorpsvägen 12 (1 Tr.)
171 54 Solna
3) Malaysia
A.K.M. Atiqur Rahman
Bangladesh High Commission
House no 114 , Jalan U-Thant
55000 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
mission.kualalumpur@mofa.gov.bd
4) Bahrain
His Excellency Md. Ali Akbar
House 71
Qufool Avenue, Salihiya356
Manama, Bahrain
Tel: 973-17233925
Fax: 973-17233683; 973-17232819
bangla@batelco.com.bh, bdoot@live.com
5) Australia
Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury (Retd)
57, Culgoa Circuit,
O’Malley, ACT-2606
Canberra, Australia
6) South Africa
H.E. Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain
High Commissioner
410 Farenden Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
7) Canada
His Excellency Kamrul Ahsan
High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada
Constitution Square Centre
340 albert street, Suite – 1350
Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 7Y6
8) Turkey
Embassy of People’s Republic of Bangladesh Ankara Turkey
H.E. Mr. Md. Zulfiqur Rahman
Büyükdere Caddesi, No:121, Kat:5, Ercanhan,
Esentepe, ÅžiÅŸli, Ä°stanbul
9) Netherlands
Sir/Madam
Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Hague.
Wassenaarseweg 39
2596 CG The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0) 70- 328 3722
Email: mission.hague@mofa.gov.bd
10) France
M. Shahidul Islam
109, Avenue Henri Martin 75016 Paris,
Tel: 01 46 51 90 33
diplomatic@bangladoot-paris.org
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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
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