When will journalists be free from harassment cases?

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5 last year, more than 250 journalists have been charged with one or more murder cases across the country. In most of these cases, journalists were accused of false charges in cases involving injuries and deaths in various parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, during the mass uprising in July-August. Legal experts have commented that such arbitrary murder cases against journalists are an abuse of the law and a serious blow to free journalism.

At the same time, Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul also expressed regret that the names of journalists have not been withdrawn from such cases so far. On the other hand, the government committee in this regard said that the work of collecting information on harassment cases against journalists is ongoing.

In July this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) published a list of murder cases against journalists across the country from August 5 to June last year. In addition, Ain o Salish Kendra also published a report in this regard in June. These two reports revealed that from August 5 last year to May this year, 268 journalists have been accused in various murder cases related to the deaths in the July and August uprising. The highest number of cases, 90, has been filed in the capital. In addition, cases have been filed against 41 journalists in Sylhet, 38 in Chittagong, 14 in Cumilla, 12 in Savar, 10 in Narayanganj, 10 in Kushtia and 8 in Bogura. In addition, several journalists have been accused in murder cases related to the July-August violence in other districts including Barisal, Munshiganj, Bagerhat, Jashore, Pirojpur, Naogaon, Chandpur, Cox's Bazar, Khulna, Laxmipur, Barguna, Narail, Patuakhali, Thakurgaon, Netrokona and Rajshahi. Only 18 percent of the accused journalists have been found to have direct political involvement. In the case of the rest, no evidence of such involvement has been found. The remaining 82 percent of murder cases were against journalists, mainly for revenge or humiliation.

Meanwhile, the government formed an eight-member committee, led by an additional secretary, to monitor harassment cases against journalists on October 7 last year. The committee members include the additional secretary (broadcast) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the chief information officer of the Directorate of Information, a representative from the Law and Justice Division (at the rank of district judge), the director general of the Directorate of Films and Publications, MD of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust, the DG of the Bangladesh Press Institute, the secretary of the Bangladesh Press Council, and the joint secretary (press) of the information ministry. A member of the committee told Views Bangladesh that this committee is monitoring and collecting information on various harassment cases, including murders, against journalists working in the media and informing the authorities about the cases. However, Law Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul expressed disappointment in this regard. He told Views Bangladesh: "The committee on monitoring cases of harassment against journalists has not been able to show any work so far. Based on their reports, the work of releasing journalists from cases of harassment will start."

He said: "As you know, hundreds of murder cases have been registered in the country after August 5 last year. We have also received reports that many innocent people have been accused in these cases. Therefore, we have issued an ordinance. It says that the names of innocent people, including journalists, who have been accused should be excluded in the initial investigation. That is, no innocent person should be named in the case until the final investigation. In this case, the committee on monitoring cases of harassment against journalists will play a supportive role. However, I am saying that no innocent journalist, that is, journalists who are not involved in the murder, will not be harassed in any way. Moreover, even if a crime is initially proven, that journalist will not be tried in the International Crimes Tribunal."

Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman told Views Bangladesh: "The state is making every effort to ensure that journalists do not fall victim to any kind of injustice. The Attorney General's Office is also cooperating in withdrawing the names of journalists from the disappearance and harassment murder cases."

Human rights leader Elina Khan told Views Bangladesh: "The way murder cases have been filed against journalists indiscriminately after the July-August uprising last year is very sad. It is being criticized not only in the country, but also outside the country. The question arises as to why journalists are not safe. This is not desirable for a country. Therefore, it is now the responsibility of the government to quickly release journalists from harassment cases."

Chairman of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh and a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, Manzil Morshed, said: "If a journalist commits any wrongdoing, he will definitely be tried under the existing law. But now I see that murder cases are being filed against many innocent journalists. This is the government's statement. This is not good for the country at all. It needs to be brought under control quickly and journalists should be released from the disappearance cases. Otherwise, it will get worse later."

Senior Supreme Court lawyer and constitutional expert Dr. Shahdeen Malik told Views Bangladesh: "There have been mass murder cases against journalists in the last one year. I don’t know of any such cases happening before. The accused journalists are definitely in panic and discomfort. Why couldn’t such incidents be prevented?"

"The government can only say why this problem has not been resolved yet. I do not want to comment on this. Because there is no environment to comment on these matters now," he added.