Amnesty releases 10-point human rights charter ahead of Bangladesh JS polls, calls for protecting rights of expression

Amnesty International has issued a 10-point human rights charter ahead of Bangladesh's 12th parliamentary elections, calling on all contesting political parties to ensure human rights protection and development in the plans. 

The charter published by the UK-based human rights campaigner on Thursday also includes respecting and protecting freedom of expression, media freedom, and the rights of religious minorities and indigenous people.

"With this human rights charter, Amnesty International urges all political parties contesting the upcoming election in Bangladesh to ensure that the protection and promotion of human rights is a core part of their plans for the country," reads the published charter. 

According to Bangladesh's commitment to international agreements in the 10 points of Amnesty, the importance of the country's obligation to protect human rights has been highlighted. 

These agreements include International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESR). At the same time, Amnesty also reminded about the human rights obligations contained in the constitution of Bangladesh.

The charters are- respecting and protecting freedom of expression and media freedom, protecting the protest, sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis, ending impunity for enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, protecting women's rights, protecting the rights of religious minorities and indigenous peoples, abolish the death penalty, inclusive, sustainable responses to the climate crisis, end impunity for custodial deaths and torture, and uphold corporate accountability and labour rights