HRW for release of Hummam, Azmi

Bangladeshi authorities should immediately release three children of opposition leaders convicted of war crimes who were forcibly disappeared and have been illegally detained since August 2016, Human Rights Watch said today.

The three men, Hummam Quader Chowdhury, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, and Amaan Azmi, were arrested without judicial warrants or formal charges. They have not been produced before a magistrate as required by law and have not been allowed access to family or lawyers, it said.

"The government denies having them in custody despite credible statements from witnesses that all were arrested by law enforcement authorities."

"Bangladesh law enforcement authorities have a long history of politically motivated arrests and disappearances, including detaining people and then denying that the person is in custody," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"In many cases detainees are tortured or even killed. The government should immediately charge or release these men and put an end to disappearances and illegal detentions," he said.