In the words of Dr. Ryhan Rashid (from our podcast on 17.01.25): ‘Let me tell you about Shahriar Kabir. Shahriar Kabir has spent his whole life fighting for a secular society, fighting for minority rights, demanding justice for genocide, fending against the rise of religious extremism in Bangladesh. But his ideals, his courage, his convictions, his activism are now costing him dearly. One hundred and twenty-one days ago, Shahriar Kabir was arrested on false charges under the current regime led by Dr. Yunus, the Nobel Laureate.’
SADF is shocked by how Mr. Kabir is being treated. So are Mrs. Natalia Sineaeva, from Never Again (Warsaw, Poland), and by Mrs. Mona Haghgou Strindberg , a human rights lawyer based in Sweden.
Mrs. Strindberg, who has followed Mr. Kabir’s illegal detention closely, vividly described the violence involved. Because Mr. Kabir is a fighter for freedom, secularism, minorities’ and indigenous people’s rights; a tireless advocate for genocide awareness and social transformation; a tireless militant for progress for over 50 years – it’s not the first time he faces repression by a Bangladeshi government. It is the first time, however, that he is treated with such brutality and contempt. Not only was Mr. Kabir was illegally detained, he was assaulted by a mob, disrespected by the court (who denied a 73-year-old the right to sit down) and denied healthcare. The accusations Mr. Kabir faces include ‘genocide’ and ‘crimes against humanity’. Mrs. Strindberg calls these accusations ‘bizarre’; indeed, they are ironic.
It is also ironic that a champion of secularism is being treated like this at a time when there are proposals to remove the mention of secularism from the Bangladeshi Constitution.
In Mrs. Strindberg’s words: ‘We are talking about a human rights activist! Someone who devoted his life, so many [50] years of life fighting against abuses and shedding light on genocides. We are talking about a courageous man who has courage beyond words for the fight he has devoted his life to!’
Mrs. Sinaeva speaks from Warsaw and in the name of the Never Again Association, which advocates for Holocaust remembrance and social inclusion, fighting against xenophobia and all forms of discrimination. Mrs. Sinaeva has known and worked with Mr. Shabir for over 30 years, in both Europe and Bangladesh. From her testimony we learn that Mr. Kabir was not only a tireless activist for a better future for Bangladesh – he was also a citizen of the world sharing other corners’ fights for a better future. For instance, he followed closely the fall of the Berlin Wall and was the first journalist from Asia to interview Poland’s first democratically elected President Lech Walesa. Since then, Mrs. Sinaeva has followed closely Mr. Shariar’s activism both at home and abroad; she spoke most eloquently on his tireless advocacy on a variety of causes, no less for post-genocide ‘social healing’ in Bangladesh. Indeed, Shahriar Kabir’s curriculum vitae (Wikipedia) is as clear and uncompromised as the man himself; Mrs. Sinaeva is convinced that his authenticity, integrity, and uncompromised pledge to fight by what is right got him arrested by the current government. Never Again is reaching out to all organizations and members of the global Civil Society to rally and press for his immediate release.
Mrs. Strindberg is working with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to allow for Mr. Kabir’s immediate release. Never Again has called on Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Global Alliance Against Hatred and Extremism, and others. The timing is extremely urgent because of Mr. Kabir’s declining health. Please help us spread the word!
WHAT YOU CAN DO: (OpenAI, 2025)[1]
You can sign SADF’s letter to President Muhammad Yunus. You can write us on social media or to our email info@sadf.online to add your name. You can also:
- Share this media on your social media platforms using the hashtag #FreeShahriarKabir
- Mention key human rights organizations and influential figures who can amplify this urgent plea. Tagging organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and local activists can help spread the word and pressure authorities.
#FreeShahriarKabir #HumanRights #StandForJustice #SecularBangladesh #DemocraticBangladesh #LawfulBangladesh
[1] This last section was inspired by AI (OpenAI, 2025). The article’s title was also influenced by AI. On 19.01.25, we created a chat on ChatGPT, whose full content can be accessed here: .https://aichatbot.co/chat/1737282406631
The poster image was generated by Pixrl and modified on Canvas.
Madalena Casaca
Madalena Casaca is SADF’s Editor and part-time Researcher for the Democracy Research Programme. Ms Casaca is a graduate in European Studies (graduated 2008) from the University of Lisbon, where she explored with high productivity not only European and Western Social Sciences but also African Studies, Russian Studies, and Anthropology. Ms Casaca also completed a yearly Documentary Programme in Prague in 2012/2013 and attended the Film School of the University of Wales in Newport in 2011/2012, where all the basics of visual communication were explored and developed. Less
A one-year investment was made in Moscow studying the Russian language, of which she holds the B2 degree. Madalena began a Master’s degree in World History at the Moscow State University, where she completed the first semester, receiving the highest marks in all courses. She had to return to Portugal for personal reasons and now raises her young daughters in Lisbon. She is transforming her Masters’ Diploma on World History into a non-academic book.