Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerned About the Arbitrary Arrest of Senior Lawyer Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman in Khulna

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Paris, France; April 28, 2025 – The France-based human rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemns and expresses grave concern over the recent arbitrary arrest of Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman, former president and general secretary, and senior lawyer of the Khulna District Bar Association, on April 22, 2025, under the draconian Special Powers Act, 1974.

JMBF asserts that the arrest of Advocate M.M. Mujibur Rahman represents a serious and flagrant abuse of power by the authorities of Bangladesh. This action is not only unjust but also a direct attack on the core principles of justice, freedom, and democracy. Such acts of arbitrary detention violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under both the Constitution of Bangladesh and international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges.

JMBF Files Urgent Formal Complaint to UN Over Detention and Torture of Barrister Turin Afroz

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Paris, April 27, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has formally submitted a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, urging immediate intervention in the case of Barrister Turin Afroz, who they say has been subjected to grave human rights violations in Bangladesh.

In their submission, sent on April 26, 2025, JMBF addressed three UN Special Rapporteurs — on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges, on Torture, and on Arbitrary Arrest — detailing allegations of arbitrary arrest, custodial torture, and denial of the right to a fair trial.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Gravely Concerns About the Custodial Torture of Barrister Turin Afroz During Police Remand

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Paris, France | April 27, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its gravest concern and unequivocal condemnation regarding the brutal custodial torture of Barrister Turin Afroz during her police remand at Uttara West Police Station between April 8 and 12, 2025.

According to credible reports from reliable sources and multiple leading newspapers in Bangladesh, Barrister Turin Afroz — a distinguished advocate and former prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) — was subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse while in police custody. Two uniformed female police officers, alongside a male and a female individual in civilian clothes, allegedly perpetrated acts of violence against her. She was viciously beaten with lathis (batons) on her thighs and legs, kicked, slapped, punched, and subjected to repeated physical assaults on the back parts of her body.

JMBF Statement on International Lesbian Visibility Day 2025

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Paris, France; April 26, 2025: Today, on International Lesbian Visibility Day 2025, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) stands in steadfast solidarity with lesbians across the globe — especially with those in Bangladesh who continue to live, love, and resist under immense pressure and threat.

In Bangladesh, being a lesbian often means facing a life of secrecy, fear, and discrimination. The silence surrounding their struggles is not a choice but a survival strategy in a society that criminalizes same-sex love and perpetuates deeply rooted homophobia. Despite these immense challenges, countless lesbian individuals in Bangladesh persist with extraordinary courage.

JMBF Holds Bilateral Meeting with French MP Pouria Amirshahi to Address Human Rights Concerns in Bangladesh

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Paris, April 25, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) held a bilateral meeting today at 3:00 PM in Paris with Mr. Pouria Amirshahi, Member of the French National Assembly and President of the France-Bangladesh Friendship Group. The meeting focused on growing concerns regarding human rights violations and democratic backsliding in Bangladesh under the current interim government.

JMBF was represented by its Founder and President, prominent Bangladeshi human rights lawyer Advocate Shahanur Islam, and Chief Adviser Robert Simon, a renowned French human rights activist.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Condemns the Arrest of Lady Biker Esha: A Disturbing Act of Homophobic Injustice

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Paris, France | March 25, 2025:  France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deepest concern and strongest condemnation regarding the recent arrest and imprisonment of Irin Jahan Esha Sheikh, widely known as the “Lady Biker,” in Khulna, Bangladesh.

It has become increasingly evident that Esha was not detained based on any credible evidence of criminal activity, but was instead targeted because of her identity as a lesbian and her consensual romantic relationship with another woman. This case represents yet another tragic instance of the criminalization of same-sex relationships and the systematic persecution of sexual minorities in Bangladesh.