Spectrum Rights Observatory (SRO) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of veteran journalist, author, documentary filmmaker and human rights advocate Shahriar Kabir, citing serious concerns over his prolonged detention, due process, and deteriorating health.
In a statement issued on September 24, SRO said Kabir, 75, has been subjected to what it described as arbitrary detention, judicial harassment and inadequate medical care since his arrest by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police shortly after midnight on September 17, 2024.
The organization said Kabir was not properly informed of the charges or the police station responsible for his detention at the time of his arrest and was denied access to essential medicines and personal belongings. It also alleged that he was produced before a Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court without access to legal counsel and was subjected to verbal and physical harassment by people gathered outside the court.
Some of the concerns cited by SRO have also been raised by United Nations human rights mechanisms. In Opinion No. 40/2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Kabir’s detention arbitrary and called for his immediate release. The Working Group identified concerns relating to the legal basis of his detention, fair-trial guarantees and the exercise of fundamental rights.
A separate UN communication issued in April 2026 said Kabir remained detained at Kashimpur Prison and reported that he required a wheelchair because he was unable to walk. The communication also said he suffered from multiple chronic and age-related conditions and that information received by the UN indicated he was not receiving necessary medical treatment. It described his deteriorating health as posing a risk to his life in custody.
According to the same UN communication, as many as 14 criminal cases had reportedly been initiated against Kabir, including allegations involving murder and crimes against humanity. The UN document said no evidence had reportedly been presented publicly to substantiate the cases at that stage. It also noted that Kabir had appeared before the International Crimes Tribunal on several occasions since January 2026.
Kabir has long been known for his reporting and documentary work on Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, communal violence, secularism and human rights. Amnesty International previously designated him a prisoner of conscience following his detention in 2001 after he documented attacks against members of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.
SRO urged the Bangladesh government to provide Kabir with immediate specialized medical treatment, essential medication, a wheelchair and other necessary mobility assistance, as well as access to lawyers and family members.
The organization also called for an independent investigation into the circumstances of his arrest and alleged mistreatment, and urged authorities to review what it described as the use of legal proceedings to silence journalists, civil society advocates and secular voices.
SRO further called on Bangladesh to uphold its obligations under domestic law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including protections for liberty, fair trial, freedom of expression and fundamental civil rights.
The organization said it stands in solidarity with Kabir and his family and urged both Bangladeshi authorities and the international community to take immediate steps to protect his health and secure his release.
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