Date Type 24/11/2015 JAL 24/11/2015 JUA Case No Country Mandate(s) Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply BGD 7/2015 Bangladesh Cultural Rights; Freedom of expression; Freedom of religion; Summary executions; Allegations concerning the killing of a Bangladeshi publisher and writer as well as 25/11/2015 of violent attacks against another publisher. According to the information received, on 31 October 2015, Mr. Faisal Arefin Dipan, a Bangladeshi publisher and writer, was murdered at his publishing house in Dhaka. He had recently published books by the secular writer and blogger Mr. Avijit Roy who was murdered in February 2015. Earlier that day Mr. Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, another Bangladeshi publisher, was the victim of a violent attack, which left him injured and hospitalized. Mr. Tutul had published four of Mr. Roy’s books. It is reported that the responsibility for these attacks has been claimed by the armed group Ansar al-Islam, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). Concern is expressed at what appears to be a pattern of violence and intimidation against secular writers, publishers, bloggers/journalists and other intellectuals in the country, ostensibly in response to the exercise of their human right to freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief. A previous related communication was sent on 30 April 2015, see A/HRC/30/27, case no. BGD 2/2015. BRA 10/2015 Brazil Business enterprises; Environment; Hazardous substances and wastes; Health; Indigenous peoples; Water and Sanitation; Alleged detrimental human rights impact caused by the collapse of an ore tailing waste dam in Bento Rodrigues, a sub-district of Mariana municipality in Minas Gerais state belonging to Samarco Mining S.A., a joint venture between Vale S.A. and BHP Billiton Brazil Ltda. According to the information received, 50 million cubic metres of iron ore waste washed away the entire Bento Rodrigues district of 600 inhabitants and the advancing toxic ‘mud wave’ continues to contaminate the soil, rivers, flora and fauna of the entire ecosystem of the region in its downstream path of 850 kilometres towards the sea. From the source of the contamination to the mouth of the sea, around 6 million people are affected by this disaster. The environmental damage to the region is said to be irreparable as the flood waters have produced a dense toxic mud that has entered the River Doce, contaminating it with very high levels of hazardous substances. All cities in the flood path have had water cuts and many residents have had to be taken to hospital for respiratory irritation and intoxication of heavy metals. 11 bodies had been found and 12 persons are still officially missing. A/HRC/31/79 157