On March 13, 2023, Shahanur Islam, a prominent human rights defender, met with Ms. Marie Fontanel, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to the Council of Europe, at her residence in Strasbourg, France.

Islam was among 13 laureates of the Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders 2023, who were invited to attend an exchange of views meeting regarding the current human rights situation in their respective countries.

During the meeting, Shahanur Islam highlighted the various human rights violations occurring in Bangladesh, including the persecution of ethnic, religious, social, and sexual minorities, as well as victims of torture, extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and arbitrary arrests.

He also shared his journey as a human rights defender and his field of expertise in providing legal assistance, advice, capacity building, and short-term shelter support to victims of violence.

Shahanur Islam emphasized his active advocacy for the constitutional recognition of sexual minority people and the decriminalization of homosexuality in Bangladesh, both nationally and internationally.

Ms. Fontanel assured the laureates of her commitment to stand against all forms of human rights violations and promised to continue such meetings in the future. The meeting was a significant step towards addressing the pressing issue of human rights violations in Bangladesh and creating a better understanding of the situation among international stakeholders.