RSF condemns ‘outrageous’ charges against journalists in Bangladesh

The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the “outrageous” charges such as crimes against humanity brought against dozens of Bangladeshi journalists and sought the immediate release of arrested reporters and dropping of the “unfounded” accusations.

Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, several cases have been made against journalists. On August 29, a Bangladeshi lawyer filed a case at the International Crimes Tribunal against 52 people, including Hasina and 27 leading journalists, for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide.

Referring to the arrest of journalists, the Paris-based NGO, known for its work in defending press freedom, said in a statement released on Friday: “Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for their immediate release and for these unfounded charges to be dropped. This systematic judicial harassment of journalists must end.”

The complaint filed by the lawyer alleged the accused were involved in crimes against humanity and genocide during protests by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which began in July with the demand for scrapping a controversial quota in government jobs.

Earlier, a journalist couple – Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa – were charged with the murder of demonstrators and are currently behind bars.

Following weeks of student-led protests, Hasina stepped down and fled to India. More than 100 cases have been filed against her, accusing her of different crimes, including murder, crimes against humanity and genocide.

A raft of criminal cases has also been filed across the country against former ministers, Awami League leaders and workers, police and military officers, journalists and those seen as close to the former premier and her party.

Antoine Bernard, RSF’s director of advocacy and assistance, said: “The purge of journalists who are considered to be affiliated with the former government has reached a new level. Media professionals are bearing the brunt of the need for vengeance that permeates this terrible legal cabal, which is hurting the image of the political transition underway in Bangladesh.”

The RSF statement said the complaint filed by the lawyer on August 29 for crimes against humanity marks a new stage in the series of lawsuits targeting media professionals. It said that this time, journalists have targeted in a case being examined by the International Crimes Tribunal, a special court set up in 1973 to judge abuses committed during Bangladesh’s war of independence.

“The interim authorities, headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, must do everything in their power to end this vicious process. Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed must be released immediately. All charges against journalists must be dropped,” Bernard said.

Among the journalists named in criminal cases are Nayeemul Islam Khan, former press secretary to Hasina, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former information affairs adviser to Hasina, former National Press Club president Farida Yasmin and former general secretary Shyamal Dutta, Ekattor Television editor-in-chief Mozammel Babu, Nabanita Chowdhury, Ekhon TV news head Tushar Abdullah, Bangla daily Jugantor’s editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayeem Nizam, former Samakal editor Abed Khan, ATN News’ head of news Provash Amin, DBC TV’s editor Zayadul Ahsan Pintu, and former editor-in-chief of ATN News, Munni Shaha.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.