Editors Council concern in digital security act case

An organization of newspaper editors, has expressed deep concern over the case against Prothom Alo's staff reporter Shamsuzzaman under the Digital Security Act and his detention. President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud expressed this concern in a statement on Wednesday evening. They demanded immediate withdrawal of the case against Shamsuzzaman.

According to the statement of the editorial board, the Digital Security Act-2018 is already creating obstacles in the field of freedom of speech and free intellectual exercise, including journalism. Journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, representatives of civil society and several government ministers and members of parliament have continued to express various suggestions, recommendations and concerns about the changes, modifications, separations and additions of the law.

Since the drafting of the law, the editors council and journalists have been raising concerns and objections about this law. The Law Minister also pointed out the various misuses of this Act and in that regard to amend the Act. But still, through this law, journalists and people who express their free opinion are continuously oppressed and tortured.

The editorial board said, if someone is offended by any news, he can complain and file a case in the press council. But instead of doing that, a case is being filed directly under the Digital Security Act.

For that reason, in order to ensure a free and safe environment for journalism, the editors council is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the cases filed against all journalists including journalist Shamsuzzaman along with the speedy amendment of the Digital Security Act. At the same time, if anyone is arrested or detained under this law, the organization has demanded his immediate release.

Last Sunday, when a report of Prothom Alo Online was published on Facebook, a 'card' was created quoting day laborer Zakir Hossain. Although the name of day laborer Zakir Hossain was given as the citation, a picture of a child was given by mistake. The inconsistency was noticed 17 minutes after the post was made and was quickly retracted. Besides, the report was revised and later published online with the mention of the amendment. Nowhere in the report did it say that the speech was from the child. Rather, it is clearly stated that the quote is from Zakir Hussain, a day laborer.

The report was made by Shamsuzzaman. He was picked up by some people in the identity of CID from his Savar house around 4 am today. Syed Md filed a case in his name under the Digital Security Act at Tejgaon police station in Dhaka. A person named Golam Kibria (36). In the statement of the case, the identity of Golam Kibria has been written, he is a resident of Kalyanpur, Dhaka. According to the information given on his Facebook page, he is the General Secretary of Ward No. 11 of Dhaka Metropolitan North of Jubo League. He was earlier a member of the Central Committee of the Chhatra League.

Read More