Amnesty International has expressed apprehension that hanging of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla will trigger reprisal attacks with country’s minority Hindu community bearing the brunt of it.It also termed the execution as a disgrace as the rights body is opposed to the death penalty in “all cases without exception.”
“The execution of Abdul Quader Molla should never have happened. The death penalty is a human rights violation and should not be used to punish other alleged human rights violations,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Bangladesh Researcher.
The Supreme Court increased his sentence to death on September 17 on appeal from the prosecution. The rights body said at this volatile time many people including minority Hindus were at risk of reprisal attacks. It pointed out that people connected to the ICT trials had been attacked, with one ICT witness killed on December 6.
“Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community has been targeted in attacks this year following an earlier ICT verdict, they are at particular risk of violence now the execution has been carried out,” Faiz was thus quoted in the report.
“The authorities must ensure that anyone at risk, especially Hindus are given the protection they need at this tense time. Whole villages were burned down in the violence against Hindus this year and no one has been brought to justice,” the Amnesty’s Bangladesh Researcher further pointed out.
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