Staff Reporter :
Law Minister Anisul Huq said on Sunday, the government will finalise the draft of Digital Security Act by August.
“We met with several concerned parties about the Digital Security Act for a decision on the infamous Section 57 of the ICT Act. “We will hold a final meeting on the issue in mid August to finalise it,” he told journalists after an Inter-Ministry meeting held on Sunday at the Law Ministry.
As such, Section 57 of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Act will remain in force till August.
There is an ongoing debate over the alleged misuse of the section in question for which human rights activists and journalists are demanding repeal thereof. The Minister said no innocent journalist would be harassed under Section 57 of ICT Act even someone was booked under the law. “Filing of cases is not the final thing.” he said.
The investigation officer would scrutinise the facts thoroughly for probing the case ahead of submitting charge sheet, he said. “I have said it before and saying it again if any obstruction is created against freedom of speech or against journalists, the investigation officers or agencies will look into it,” the Minister said.
The Law Minister on several occasions said that the government would scrap the section and interpret it in the proposed digital security act.
Asked about repealing Section 57, the Minister said, “We will take decision in August. Case can be filed under the said section until it is scrapped.”
If the government even scraps the Section 57, a similar provision is going to be incorporated in the proposed Digital Security Act approved by the Cabinet last August.
He also said, “I will not make comment in this regard as the proposed act is yet to be finalised.”
The meeting was attended by Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT Division and Tarana Halim, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications, among others.
According to the section 57, if any person deliberately publishes any material in electronic form that causes deterioration of law and order, prejudices the image of the State or a person or causes to hurt religious belief, the offender faces jail term for a maximum of 14 years.
Legal experts have unequivocally been saying Section 57 goes against the people’s right to freedom of expression and free speech.
The law was introduced in 2006 by the BNP government and established in 2013 by Awami League. In 2015, it was first named Cyber Security Act, afterward renamed Digital Security Act 2016. The draft was approved by the Cabinet on August 22, 2016 and sent to the Law Ministry for scrutiny.
