Echoing the concerns of the civil society and political parties, human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has said that the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has failed to meet people’s expectations, with a deterioration of law and order.
Even though last yearโs movement called for justice, human dignity, and democratic rights and opposed oppression, inequality, and corruption, the situation after a year is grim, they said.
โThough upsetting, the truth is that the interim government that took office in the aftermath of the movement has failed to live up to the people’s expectations.
โArbitrary arrests continue along with custodial deaths and extrajudicial killings, which are reminiscent of the previous regime’s repressive tactics. Meanwhile, the deterioration of law and order has left citizens increasingly anxious about their safety.โ
In a statement on Thursday, ASK said mob violence has surged alarmingly across the country, causing numerous deaths and injuries. The law enforcement agencies and other institutions concerned have failed to prevent or address these incidents, raising serious concerns about the state of human rights in the country.
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Another alarming aspect of the current situation is the growing vulnerability and insecurity of religious minorities. โWhile the public hoped for an inclusive system that respected human rights, attacks, threats, and persecution against ethnic and religious minorities have only increased.
โSome have even faced organised attacks over allegations of blasphemy, accompanied by looting and threats to their lives. The absence of visible justice or punishment for perpetrators has deepened the sense of insecurity among minority communities.โ
It said even the women who were at the forefront of the movement are now living in a state of insecurity. Public incidents of assault, harassment, and humiliation of women have risen, while rape, sexual violence, and domestic abuse continue to dominate headlines, the statement read.
โHate speech targeting women is on the rise, alongside intensified moral policing over their clothing and behaviour. This oppression is no longer limited to individual acts; it has taken the form of structural violence, severely restricting women’s social, political, and economic empowerment.โ
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ASK also expressed concern over the journalists facing various forms of harassment. Hundreds of journalists have had their press accreditation cards revoked, been dismissed through strategic planning, and faced false allegations, legal harassment, arrests, and even attacks on their offices.
โThese developments have raised questions throughout the year about the true state of press freedom and freedom of expression.โ
Students’ rights in educational institutions have been violated, it added. โMany students face unfair expulsions and revocation of their academic certificates, threatening their right to education, freedom of expression, and democratic values.โ
The rights body strongly demanded that the government ensure the rule of law and due legal process, and establish an environment that respects human rights.
ASK also demanded effective action against arbitrary arrests, mob violence, and attacks on minorities; a zero-tolerance policy for violence against women; concrete steps to protect freedom of expression and media independence; safeguarding of constitutional rights to assembly and organisation; and full transparency and accountability in investigations of human rights violations.
โThe state must now play an effective, responsible, and rights-friendly role to ensure the dream of change achieved through the people’s blood and sacrifice does not fail,โ ASK said.
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