News Desk :
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized the recent arrests in Bangladesh under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
The Bangladesh authorities have arrested four people and charged seven others for “spreading rumors and misinformation on Facebook,” because they criticized the government’s response to Covid-19, HRW said on Thursday.
The authorities should immediately drop all charges which appear to violate freedom of expression, release the four people in custody, and repeal the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA), said HRW.
The 11 are being charged for “knowingly posting rumors against the Father of the Nation Bangadandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Liberation War, and the coronavirus pandemic, to negatively affect the nation’s image,” and to “cause the law and order situation to deteriorate,” according to the First Information Report (FIR) filed with Ramna police station.
This is being viewed as overreaching by a grossly misused Digital Security Act.
HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said: “It is only an insecure and authoritarian government that
uses a pandemic to arrest cartoonists, journalists, and activists.
“Instead of filing cases that could result in life imprisonment simply for posting satire, the ruling Awami League should take note of the criticism and try to address any gaps in the government’s response to Covid-19,” he added.
Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, writer and activist Mushtaq Ahmed, Didarul Bhuiyan, another activist, and Minhaz Mannan Emon, director of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), are in custody.
The others facing charges are journalists Tasneem Khalil and Shahed Alam, blogger Asif Mohiuddin, a blogger, and Saer Zulkarnain, Ashiq Imran, Philipp Schumacher, and Swapan Wahed, all of whom live outside Bangladesh.
The authorities have also brought charges against five to six unnamed individuals.
On Thursday, the Bangladeshi government issued a circular banning all government employees from posting, “liking,” sharing, or commenting on any content which might “tarnish the image of the state” or “important persons” in government. Violation of the order would result in legal action.
The authorities have increased surveillance of anyone who might spread “rumors,” and has ramped up media censorship, HRW added.
Under international human rights law, governments have an obligation to protect the right to freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive, and impart information of all kinds.
This includes the freedom to criticize the government and public figures and institutions. Permissible restrictions on freedom of expression for reasons of public health may not put the right itself in jeopardy.
