Six int’l rights groups urge Bangladesh to suspend DSA
Staff Reporter :
Six independent organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Reporters Without Borders, have urged for an end to the growing attacks on journalists and critics of government policies in Bangladesh.
The international bodies, also include CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Committee to Protect Journalists, and International Federation for Human Rights, released a joint statement on the HRW website on Wednesday, urging action.
On World Press Freedom Day, eight independent organisations expressed concern over the alarming increase in attacks on journalists and others exercising their right to criticise government policies and practices in Bangladesh, with widespread restrictions on freedom of expression undermining the conditions for open political debate ahead of the scheduled January 2024 elections, they said.
They said, that the Bangladeshi government should immediately suspend the use of the Digital Security Act pending its repeal or amendment in line with international human rights law; conduct swift, impartial, transparent, and effective investigations into all acts of violence against journalists and hold any suspected perpetrators accountable in fair trials.
They also recommended to drop all charges against all who have been accused simply of exercising their right to freedom of expression; end harassment of journalists and protect media freedom and ensure that people can voice criticism and concerns, both offline and online, without fearing sanctions.
The international bodies have urged the government to end misuse of laws to curtail the right to freedom of expression in Bangladesh and protect the media’s right to operate freely and independently and respect the public’s right to information through full and unrestricted access to news outlets.
They also mentioned that 56 journalists have been reportedly targeted by the government and its supporters in the first three months of 2023.
Journalists in Bangladesh are at risk of arrest under the ‘draconian’ DSA and being subjected to harassment, surveillance, and physical attacks by government supporters.
Quoting a number of incidents, they said, journalist Ayub Meahzi was attacked by armed assailants for reporting on illegal land grabbing, while journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams was arrested under the DSA for publishing an article on the cost of living. The arrests and attacks on journalists are part of increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in Bangladesh.
“We are disturbed by the continued use of the draconian DSA against journalists in retaliation for their work on topics including governmental policies, alleged corruption, and illicit business practices in Bangladesh. The act permits heavy fines and prison sentences for those who dissent and, with broadly defined “threats”, it allows warrantless arrests based simply on a suspicion that a crime has been committed online,” the statement mentioned.
“As of early May 2023, at least 339 DSA cases had been filed against journalists since its inception in 2018, according to a tracker operated by the Dhaka-based think tank Centre for Governance Studies,” it continued.
Apart from this, the bodies also stated that the DSA is driving newsrooms towards self-censorship, as government authorities demand removal of articles from websites and allow for invasive surveillance without court-obtained warrants.
The DSA enables the Government to block and remove any information or data deemed necessary. Bangladeshi authorities are also weaponising other laws against journalists, it added.
Bangladesh authorities have used other laws against journalists, including stopping the publication of Dainik Dinkal and blocking 54 news websites. Prothom Alo correspondent Rozina Islam also faces prosecution for her reporting on alleged government corruption and irregularities in the public health sector, it stated.
“Further, we are alarmed by the ongoing, pervasive impunity regarding violence against journalists, including authorities’ failure to make progress in the investigation into the 2012 murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, with the Rapid Action Battalion deferring the submission of its probe report to court at least 95 times,” the international bodies said.
The increasing repression and curtailment of the right to freedom of expression is having a chilling effect on journalists and civil society, and seriously stifling journalistic freedoms, they said.
The 2022 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders ranked Bangladesh at 162 out of 180, the worst-performing country in South Asia.
The Bangladesh government’s suppression of free speech and media freedom is inconsistent with Article 39 of the country’s constitution and Article 19 of Bangladesh’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), they said.
