RAB DISCIPLINES OFFICER FOR BEATING JOURNALIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 001056 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INSB, SCA/RA, S/CT, AND DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2029 TAGS: PHUM PINS PGOV MCAP BG SUBJECT: RAB DISCIPLINES OFFICER FOR BEATING JOURNALIST Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) A Military Board of Inquiry found that a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) officer "overreacted" and used excessive force against an individual, later identified as a journalist for the daily newspaper, New Age. The Board barred the officer, a captain in the Air Force, from further promotions, essentially dismissing him from the service. This is the first known action taken by the RAB against one of its members for alleged human rights violations and represents a positive step in improving the RAB's human rights performance. Board of Inquiry Finds RAB Officer "Overreacted" -------------- --- ¶2. (C) The RAB's Director General (DG) told the DATT on November 18 that the RAB officer involved in the October 22 beating of a Bangladeshi journalist was disciplined for his actions. The officer, an Air Force captain with the RAB for only three months when the incident occurred, was immediately relieved of his duties at RAB Battalion 10 and reassigned to RAB headquarters while the incident was investigated. The RAB Additional Director General told Poloff earlier on November 3 that regardless of the inquiry's finding, the RAB DG would dismiss the officer from the RAB. A military Board of Inquiry found that the captain "overreacted" and used excessive force to subdue the reporter when he resisted RAB orders and made physical contact with the RAB officer. The Board decided not to confine the captain; instead, it barred the officer from further promotion, essentially dismissing the captain from the Air Force. (Note: The RAB Director of the Legal and Media Wing informed Poloff that the RAB does not have the authority to discipline personnel detailed to the RAB. Instead, the RAB would conduct its investigation and then would provide a recommendation to the parent service regarding disciplinary action, such as proceeding with non-judicial punishment or a court martial, depending on the severity of the offense. End note.) ¶3. (SBU) On October 22, the captain led a 10-man team to an apartment building that intelligence indicated housed a major drug lord. During the raid, the RAB team arrested the owner of the building on drug-related charges, including possession of Pethidine and Phensidyl. According to the DG and other interlocutors, the RAB team cordoned off the building and began a systematic search of the residences. During the search, F.M. Masum, a new reporter for Bangladeshi daily New Age, resisted RAB directives to cooperate that escalated to the reporter grabbing the RAB officer, causing a reaction from the officer. The RAB members present on the raid did not know that Masum was a journalist when they attempted to search his residence. Journalist's Alleged Links to Criminals -------------- ¶4. (C) According to several interlocutors, Masum was a new staff reporter to the New Age and was assigned to cover the crime beat. Sources told Emboffs that Masum asked the paper to procure a moped for him when he came on board. However, when the paper refused, Masum appeared several weeks later with a new moped. Interlocutors noted that Masum appeared to have suddenly "come into money." Embassy sources suggested that Masum had some type of illicit ties to the criminals he was covering. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The quick RAB response and the disciplinary actions taken against the officer are positive steps forward in improving the RAB's human rights record. It is the first known instance of the RAB disciplining one of its members for alleged human rights violations. Continued U.S. engagement with the RAB is essential to further improving its human rights record and building an in-house capability to investigate transparently alleged abuses. MORIARTY