174 global leaders including Obama want PM to spare Yunus

Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Creative Commons.

The signatories include 100 Nobel laureates

With a trial of Nobel laureate Professor Yunus now underway, and due to resume August 31, 174 global leaders including more than 100 Nobel laureates have signed a new letter on Monday calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to desist. 

This letter, which has been done in solidarity with 34 courageous Bangladeshi leaders who issued their own statement of support, will be published as a full-page ad in the international edition of the New York Times on August 31, just as Professor Yunus’ “trial” resumes.

Citizens around the world are being asked to join this campaign by responding to its call to action.

In March, 40 global leaders signed a letter asking the Prime Minister to stop this senseless campaign against one of its most accomplished and admired citizens.

The note said, “For the last 13 years, the government of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been persecuting Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, as part of a much broader assault on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Bangladesh.”

The letter addressed to PM Sheikh Hasina reads, “We write to you as Nobel Prize laureates, elected officials, and business and civil society leaders, and as friends of Bangladesh. We admire how your nation has made laudable progress since its independence in 1971.

“However, we are deeply concerned by the threats to democracy and human rights that we have observed in Bangladesh recently. We believe that it is of the utmost importance that the upcoming national election be free and fair, and that the administration of the election be acceptable to all major parties in the country. The previous two national elections lacked legitimacy.

“One of the threats to human rights that concerns us in the present context is the case of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. We are alarmed that he has recently been targeted by what we believe to be continuous judicial harassment. This letter attempts to build upon an earlier appeal to you by 40 global leaders who were concerned about his safety and freedom.

“We respectfully ask that you immediately suspend the current judicial proceedings against Professor Yunus, followed by a review of the charges by a panel of impartial judges drawn from within your nation with some role for internationally recognized legal experts. We are confident that any thorough review of the anti-corruption and labor law cases against him will result in his acquittal.

“As you know, Professor Yunus’ work, which has been inspirational to all of us, focuses on how social business can be a force for international progress resulting in zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. He is a leading example of how Bangladesh and Bangladeshis have contributed to global progress in recent decades. We sincerely wish that he be able to continue his path-breaking work free of persecution or harassment.

“We hope that you ensure the resolution of these legal issues in an expedient, impartial, and just manner while also ensuring a free, fair, and participatory national election in the coming months, and respect for all human rights. We will join with millions of concerned citizens around the world in closely tracking how these matters are resolved in the days ahead.”

Former president of the United States Barack Obama who has personally written to Dr. Muhammad Yunus on 17 August praising and comforting him, is the first signatory to the joint letter of 174 world leaders. 

Source: https://protectyunus.wordpress.com/