Section two shall not be repealed: Law Minister

Law Minister Anisul Haque said that the two sections of the Digital Security Act recommended by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights will not be repealed.

At the same time, the law minister said that the government is discussing some reforms in the law to prevent arrest and abuse as soon as any complaint is filed.

Law Minister Anisul Haque spoke about the liberation war, the dignity of the country's history and the protection of religious values.

The Law Minister said, Article 21 talks about protecting the dignity of the Liberation War, the spirit of the Liberation War, the Father of the Nation, the National Anthem or the National Flag. These things have human emotions. But by mocking these issues of the country's foundation, the anti-independence people try to create an anarchic situation. For that reason, the government will not cancel this section.

On the other hand, protection of religious values is mentioned in Article 28. Law Minister Anisul Haque said that attempts have been made to create an unstable situation in the country by hurting or inciting religious values or sentiments by posting on social media. As a result, the government feels that this section of protecting religious values cannot be canceled in any way.

In recommending the repeal of these two clauses, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that these clauses have the scope to criminalize expression. Allegations of curtailing freedom of journalism and expression against these two clauses have been raised ever since the law was enacted.

However, the government is not willing to accept the recommendation to cancel the clause. However, the law minister said that the reforms are being reviewed so that there is no scope for misuse of section two.

At the same time, the law minister said that the government is reviewing the recommendations made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to reform eight other sections of the Digital Security Act.

But the recommendation was made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in June last year. The law minister did not give any specific time on the question of when the government's review of the recommendation would be completed.

The law minister's statement is that the government has continued discussions with the concerned parties regarding bringing reforms in the law without canceling any section. In this process, the Law Minister will hold a review meeting with human rights activists and civil rights activists in the middle of this month. He mentioned that the government will take action based on the discussion with the civil society on the recommendations of various reforms.

The Digital Security Act has been debated since its inception. Allegations of abuse of the law continue. The law minister, however, accepted the allegations of abuse. He said, there has been some misuse of the law. That is why they want to discuss with the concerned parties and take steps regarding the reforms. However, he mentioned, they will not cancel the law and any of its clauses.

Apart from this, another notable recommendation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is to suspend the implementation of the law in the case of reforms. The law minister is not willing to take this call into consideration. He said, "They did not tell me anything about this. However, if any reforms are made, the law will not be suspended and there is no scope for it.

The Law Minister said that the issues which are shown as crimes in the Digital Security Act are also in the Criminal Penal Code. But according to the Criminal Code, the offense must be committed physically. Digital crime does not take place physically. That is why digital security laws are necessary. He claimed that the freedom of speech and freedom of the media mentioned in the constitution is not undermined in any way.

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