Bangladesh: press freedom violations continue despite the creation of a committee to monitor the harassment of journalists

On 5 November, the Press Information Department of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revokedthe accreditation cards - giving access to all official press conferences and government offices - of 29 journalists considered to be close to Sheikh Hasina's previous government. The day before, it had already revoked those of 30 other journalists. This decision comes a week after the same ministry set up a procedure for examining reports of harassment against journalists. This is a welcome measure in view of the increasing number of complaints falsely implicating journalists in the murder of demonstrators.

Nearly 140 journalists facing accusations

Since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted on 5 August after a bloody crackdown by the security forces on protests against her regime, the mood has been one of reprisals against journalists perceived to be affiliated to the former government. Nearly 140 media professionals have been targeted by particularly serious and unfounded legal proceedings: the murder of demonstrators. And for 25 of them, 'crimes against humanity'. Many of them are in hiding, for fear of being arrested and thrown in prison.

The introduction of a procedure for examining cases of harassment against journalists by a committee (Committee for Monitoring Harassment Cases against Journalists in Mass Media) could eventually enable them to have the charges dropped. But some lawyers still have doubts about the effectiveness and impartiality of this committee, which is dominated by senior civil servants. In addition, journalists who apply to the committee must submit 'admissible evidence'with their case, so it is up to them to prove their innocence. The files will then be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice, which will decide whether or not to drop the charges. Another area of concern is the security of applicants' personal data, particularly their whereabouts.

On 30 September, the name of another media professional, Mohammad Nesar Uddin, correspondent for the national daily Daily Jugantor, joined the list of journalists unjustly prosecuted. Mohammad Nesar Uddin, who is also editor-in-chief of the local newspaper Daily Sagarkool, published in the Barguna district in the southern coastal region of Bangladesh, has been arbitrarily accused of shooting and wounding a demonstrator. According to RSF, his name was added to a list of 79 suspects in a police report. To add insult to injury, the complainant said he did not know the journalist and had never even heard his name, according to other local journalists contacted by RSF.

RSF reiterates its recommendations to the interim government. The arbitrary detention and prosecution of journalists must stop immediately. Before the new government came to power, Bangladeshwas ranked 165th out of 180 countries in RSF's World Press Freedom Index.