Paris, 25 April 2025 — A bilateral meeting between Justicemakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) and French National Assembly member and President of the France-Bangladesh Friendship Group, Mr. Pouria Amirshahi, was held in Paris on Friday afternoon to address growing concerns over human rights violations in Bangladesh.
The 90-minute meeting saw participation from JMBF’s Founder and President, Bangladeshi human rights lawyer Advocate Shahannur Islam, and Chief Advisor, French human rights activist Robert Simon. Discussions centered around alleged abuses taking place under the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Advocate Islam detailed incidents of political repression, including killings, arbitrary arrests, false charges, physical assaults, and attacks on properties belonging to leaders and supporters of the Awami League and its affiliates. He also raised concerns over the shrinking space for press freedom, citing the case of journalist Farzana Rupa, who has been detained for eight months on a fabricated murder charge and removed from her media organization.
Further topics included the rise of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh and increasing violence against sexual, ethnic, and religious minorities. Particular emphasis was placed on the targeting of lawyers, with Advocate Islam revealing that 391 lawyers have faced false criminal cases, including murder charges, with 138 either arrested or held in judicial custody.
Mr. Amirshahi described the allegations as extremely serious and reiterated his commitment to promoting human rights and democratic values in Bangladesh. He expressed interest in co-hosting an international conference in Paris with JMBF, aimed at addressing human rights violations and the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh. He also proposed launching a bilateral dialogue between French and Bangladeshi human rights activists.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Advocate Islam presented Mr. Amirshahi with a detailed report on human rights violations under the Yunus-led government and a copy of JMBF’s newly released “Annual Report on LGBTQI+ Rights in Bangladesh.”
The meeting ended with both parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation in support of justice, accountability, and democratic integrity in Bangladesh.
