Two human rights organizations have strongly condemned and protested the "humiliating and violent treatment" of former chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda at the hands of a mob, before his eventual arrest.
If an individual commits a crime or faces serious allegations, they must be tried under the existing laws of the country and any form of mob formation or taking the law into one’s own hands without due process is a grave violation of human rights, Ain o Salish Kendra and Human Rights Support Society said in separate press releases on Monday.
If such incidents continue to occur, they may severely obstruct the path to establishing justice in the future, they said.
'Silence from state emboldening violent groups'
In its statement, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) said that if a citizen faces serious allegations, the only legitimate course of action is the process outlined in the constitution and legal framework.
Humiliating and violent actions outside the judiciary not only violate individual rights but also call into question the fundamental principles of a civil and democratic state, it added.
ASK observed that if such incidents are carried out deliberately and repeatedly, they create a dangerous precedent of impunity.
According to the organization, this signals an implicit attempt to institutionalize a “mob culture” instead of upholding the rule of law.
ASK noted that the government cannot avoid responsibility for these events.
The organization said that, so far, no effective action has been seen from the government to prevent such orchestrated violence.
"The apparent silence and inaction of the relevant authorities seem to be indirectly encouraging the wrongdoings of these violent groups."
ASK called upon the state to take preventive measures to address this situation.
'Justice must be delivered through law, not by mobs'
Another human rights organization, Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), said that if a person commits a crime, they must be tried under the prevailing laws of the land.
Mob action or vigilante justice is a serious violation of human rights, it said, adding that such behaviour poses a challenge to the country’s legal structure, humanitarian values, and justice system.
The organization urged the interim government, relevant administration, and law enforcement agencies to carry out proper investigations into these incidents, bring those responsible under the law, and take effective steps to prevent such undesirable occurrences in the future.
On Sunday, a group of people formed a mob outside the Uttara residence of former CEC KM Nurul Huda.
They forcibly brought him out and put a garland of shoes around his neck.
One individual was also seen hitting him with a shoe.
Footage of the incident spread on social media.
After the assault, he was turned over to the police.
Nurul served as the chief election commissioner during the eleventh general election, held in December 2018.
That election was marred by allegations of ballot-stuffing the night before the vote, later known as the “midnight vote.”
Earlier in the day, the BNP filed a case against Nurul and two other CECs who had served during the Awami League’s tenure.
The case also named 19 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
