UN's special rapporteur on peaceful assembly Clément Voule has said he is following events in Bangladesh closely, after concerning reports of "attacks and lethal force against peaceful protests since July 2022, causing deaths."
Bangladesh must guarantee the right to peaceful assembly and refrain from using excessive force against protesters, he tweeted.
He said he previously raised concerns with the Bangladesh government in a communication in 2021, following similar reports of "lethal use of force by law enforcement in the context of peaceful assemblies."
Clément has been a special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of the association since April 2018.
In October 2010, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 15/21 establishing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association for an initial period of three years.
The Council extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur a first time in September 2013 (resolution 24/5) and a second time in June 2016 (resolution 32/32). The mandate was last renewed in July 2019 (resolution 41/12) for a period of three years.
