Document #1003733
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
Please find attached some articles that
report on the arrest of Jinnat (or Jinat) Ali after he was found
smuggling letters for former president Ershad while the latter was
in jail. One of the attachments states that "writing letters in
secret in prison is a criminal offense," adding that "both the
writer and the courier could be punished by up to three years in
jail" (Reuters 23 July 1991). Although the available reports do not
provide information on demonstrations or other events that might
have followed Ali's arrest, the same source states that the letter
which was found in the lawyer's possession was a call for the
organization of a campaign against the existing government
(ibid.).
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reuters. 23 July 1991. PM Cycle.
"Ex-Bangladesh Leader Attempts to Organize Protest from Jail."
(NEXIS)
Agence France Presse (AFP). 23 July
1991. "Ershad's Lawyer Arrested, Letters Seized." (NEXIS)
The Independent [London]. 29 July
1991. "Lawyers Quit." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 28 July 1991. BC Cycle.
"Lawyers for Ex-Bangladesh President Withdraw." (NEXIS)
. 23 July 1991. PM Cycle. "Ex-Bangladesh
Leader Attempts to Organize Protest from Jail." (NEXIS)