‘Don’t use the judiciary to chill critical reporting’
UN experts have called for the Bangladesh government to review its prosecution policy for journalists and the use of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act and the more recent Digital Security Act.
They also said it should ensure the laws and practices are in line with its international human rights obligations.
"The judicial system should not be instrumentalised to chill critical reporting, undermine press freedom, and encourage a culture of self-censorship," said the experts.
Noting that independent, uncensored and unhindered press is a cornerstone of a democratic society, they called on the government to drop the charges against investigative journalist Rozina Islam and withdraw other protracted cases against journalists, editors, and human rights defenders.
"We are seriously concerned that the criminal charges and the prolongation of the investigation against Ms Islam appear to be in direct retaliation for her investigative reporting," said the experts in a statement yesterday.
The UN experts include Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Mary Lawlor, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Reem Alsalem, special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; and Margaret Satterthwaite, special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.
In 2021, Rozina, a journalist of Prothom Alo, reported on alleged corruption and mismanagement in the health sector and irregularities in the procurement of emergency medical supplies in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On May 17 that year, she went to the health and family welfare ministry to meet senior officials. While there she was detained and accused of having used her mobile phone without permission to photograph documents related to government negotiations on the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines.
She was later charged under the Official Secrets Act and the Penal Code, according to the statement.
On July 3, 2022, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted its final report to the court stating that no substantial evidence had been found to support the allegations against Rozina. Seven months later, following a petition by the health ministry in January 2023, the same court ordered the police to carry out further investigations. The next hearing is expected to take place on February 28.
"The protracted nature of Rozina Islam's case reflects a dangerous trend in Bangladesh and beyond to bring serious charges, often on unsubstantiated grounds, against journalists and editors and then leave the cases hanging unresolved in the judicial process as a way of threatening, intimidating, harassing, and silencing them," said the experts.
The experts also noted that women journalists are doubly at risk as they also often face gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence.
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