Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the authorities to 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).
The authorities have arrested four people and charged seven others for “spreading rumours and misinformation on Facebook,” for criticising the government’s response to Covid-19, the HRW said on Thursday on its official website.
It said according to the First Information Report (FIR) filed with Ramna Police Station, the 11 are being charged under the overbroad and widely misused Digital Security Act for “knowingly posting rumours against the father of the nation, the liberation war, and the coronavirus pandemic to negatively affect the nation’s image,” and to “cause the law and order situation to deteriorate.”
“It is only an insecure and authoritarian government that uses a pandemic to arrest cartoonists, journalists, and activists,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“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.”
Ahmed Kabir Kishore, a cartoonist; Mushtaq Ahmed, a writer and activist; Didarul Bhuiyan, an activist; and Minhaz Mannan Emon, director of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, are in custody.
The others facing charges are Tasneem Khalil and Shahed Alam, journalists; Asif Mohiuddin, a blogger; and Saer Zulkarnain, Ashiq Imran, Philipp Schumacher, and Swapan Wahed – all of whom live outside Bangladesh. The authorities also have brought charges against 5 or 6 “unnamed” individuals.
The cases were filed amid the government’s ongoing crackdown on those who speak out against its handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
The government issued a circular on May 7, banning all government employees from posting, “liking,” sharing, or commenting on any content which might “tarnish the image of the state” or the government’s “important persons,” warning that violation of this order would result in legal action, as per the statement.
The authorities have increased surveillance of anyone who might spread “rumours,” and has ramped up media censorship.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the country’s primary counterterrorism unit, recently formed a “cyber verification cell” to identify Covid-19 “rumours.” The police said the RAB-3 cyber team discovered the “I am Bangladeshi” Facebook page, which is at the centre of these charges.
