Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A statement issued by the office of Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy coordinator in Brussels, said that on the sidelines of the meeting of ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Laos on July 27, Borrell expressed to the representative of Bangladesh and its former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen, Member of Parliament, his deep concern about the announcement of a "shoot-on-sight policy" and the unlawful killings committed by the authorities in Bangladesh in recent days. Borrell added in the statement, "I am also deeply concerned about the killings of law enforcement officers, violence, torture, mass arrests and destruction of property that have occurred. These acts must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice. Full responsibility must be held for the many cases of excessive and lethal force by law enforcement authorities against demonstrators and others, including journalists and young children. Due process must be provided to the thousands of detainees. We will closely follow the actions of the authorities in the context of this crisis, and, bearing in mind the fundamentals of EU-Bangladesh relations, we expect full respect for all human rights."