Articles
- UN team
- 1 April 2025
- Enforced Disappearances, Minority Rights, United Nations (UN)
On April 1st, 2025, Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) held a side event at the 58th Human Rights Council session in Geneva, moderated by Charlotte Zehrer. The event highlighted a GHRD report on enforced disappearances in Pakistan, particularly affecting ethnic and religious minorities, and called for urgent reforms and accountability. Panelists included Isabelle Wachsmuth from WHO, who discussed the traumatic impacts of enforced disappearances; Jamal Baloch, who described the systematic oppression of Baloch people, labeling it as genocide; Ammarah Balouch, who focused on the forced conversion of Sindhi girls; and Anwar Mehmood Rehman, who addressed the persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims. All panelists united in demanding an end to enforced disappearances and called on the UN and international community to act decisively against these human rights violations.
- GHRD Team
- 26 March 2025
- Human Rights, Minority Rights, United Nations (UN)
At the 58th Human Rights Council Session in Geneva, the Tumuku Development and Cultural Union and the International Forum for Secular Bangladesh hosted a side event focusing on human rights violations and the rise of Islamic extremism in Bangladesh. Moderated by Kevin Lawrence, the event highlighted ongoing arbitrary arrests, violence against minorities, and severe restrictions on freedom of speech. Experts Fazal-ur Rehman Afridi and Dr. Rayhan Rashid raised concerns about religious persecution, extrajudicial killings, and significant suppression of dissent against marginalized groups such as Hindus and Christians. They discussed the militarization of state institutions and the unchecked rise of extremist groups undermining pluralism. The panel also addressed the repression of local media and the harassment of journalists, with reports of a climate of fear and intimidation. Investigative journalist Sahar Zand shared troubling accounts of violence against religious minorities. Former British MP Paul Bistrow acknowledged progress in specific areas in Bangladesh but warned of the potential loss of these gains amidst worsening human rights conditions. The panelists called for stronger international action to protect democratic principles and hold violators accountable, stressing the need for continued attention to the human rights situation in Bangladesh.
- GHRD Team
- 19 March 2025
On March 19, 2025, Empower Women Media held the Abraham Women’s Alliance Brussels Forum at the European Parliament, uniting women leaders from Abrahamic faiths to promote peacebuilding, inter-religious harmony, and women’s empowerment. The event addressed critical issues such as gender equality and the role of women in community resilience through discussions, workshops, and networking. Key speakers included Giusi Princi, Manel Msalmi, and Boushra Millet, who highlighted the importance of education, tolerance, and the unique challenges faced by women in their regions. The forum successfully achieved its objectives by fostering trust, exploring challenges, and promoting religious harmony, laying the groundwork for ongoing collaboration in the pursuit of gender equality.
- GHRD Team
- 15 March 2025
- Human Rights, July Revolution, Police Practices, Police Reform
- GHRD Team
- 14 March 2025
- GHRD Team
- 13 March 2025
- Minority Rights, Protests, United Nations (UN)
On March 13, 2025, GHRD organized a protest in front of the United Nations in Geneva to highlight ongoing human rights violations in Bangladesh, particularly against religious and ethnic minorities. Participants, including Bangladeshi civil society actors, called for an end to systemic repression and urged accountability for perpetrators. The protest drew attention to escalating violence under the interim government, emphasizing the need for judicial reforms and international intervention, including a referral to the International Criminal Court. GHRD later submitted a memorandum to the UN, requesting the release of Chinmoy Prabhu Das from detention and the establishment of a permanent UN office in Bangladesh.
- GHRD Team
- 3 March 2025
- Attacks on Minorities, Human Rights, Indigenous Communities, July Revolution
- GHRD Team
- 3 March 2025