SEAnews 2020-05-20 ArtNo.46786

【Dhaka】The Sampadak Parishad (Editors' Council of Bangladesh) on May 07 expressed greatest concern and worry over the recent spate of suing of journalists, a cartoonist and a writer and arresting several of them under the Digital Security Act (DSA) on flimsy and unsubstantiated grounds.
　"No concern is being shown as to the merit of complaints before making arrests. Reasons such as 'tarnishing the image,' 'spreading rumour,' or 'criticising the government' appear sufficient to put journalists behind bars," it said issuing a statement on Thursday. "Any complaint under DSA almost automatically leads to arrests. Recently photojournalist Kajol was handcuffed while being produced in court. Simple criticism of lawmakers, district administrations and people in power are behind most of the recent cases," reads the statement.
　Clear preference of filing cases under DSA instead of existing defamation laws indicates a desire to intimidate and harass journalists rather than seek justice, it added. Sampadak Parishad had opposed the DSA from the very start, fearing that it will be used as a weapon to suppress freedom of the media, it said.

【News source】

Editors' Council expresses concern over arrests of journalists under DSA

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Govt imprisons journalists as they tell truth: BNP

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