RSF calls on the head of the interim government to end long-standing repression against journalism

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called on chief adviser Yunus and the interim government to repeal the recently ousted government’s repressive laws and drop baseless lawsuits against journalists, RFS said.

Two months after the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the interim government’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus is working to reform Bangladesh’s institutions before a permanent government is elected. As Yunus dismantles fifteen years of authoritarian policies of the Awami League party, he must put freedom of the press, the cornerstone of democracy, at the center of these reforms.

“Structural reforms are needed to turn the repressive page of the previous government. We call on the government of Muhammad Yunus to take action: end impunity for crimes against media professionals, drop the false charges brought by the former regime against journalists who are in a terrible legal spiral. , and repealing the cybersecurity law used to silence them. At the same time, it is equally urgent to put an end to the ongoing legal attacks on more than 130 journalists who have fallen victim to baseless accusations who are currently being held for this reason – without any form of accusation prior investigation – must be released and their right to a fair trial must be respected. The crimes against journalists committed during the August protests must be investigated in an exemplary manner and subject to judicial sanctions.

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Antoine Bernard, RSF director of advocacy and assistance

In August 2024, at least 250 journalists were injured during the deadly crackdown on student-led protests against Hasina’s government. More than 600 people were killed in the clashes, known as the Monsoon Revolution, and five media professionals were killed. This outbreak of violence prompted the departure of the former prime minister, whose government was marked by a steady deterioration of press freedom, according to RSF’s annual rankings.

Prime Minister Hasina’s government, which the RSF labeled a predator of press freedom, created numerous obstacles for journalists trying to do their work, including censorship, cyber harassment, intimidation by military intelligence units, legal harassment, police violence and ruling party militias, and murder. In 2024, Hasina’s last year in power, Bangladesh fell to 165th out of 180 in the RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, the country’s lowest ranking ever.

Under Hasina, Bangladeshi journalists were silenced by an arsenal of draconian laws. According to a report by the Center for Governance Studies (CGS), 97 journalists were arrested and 255 prosecuted for their reporting under the Digital Security Act between 2018 and 2023. Seven media professionals continue to be wrongly prosecuted, and one has been convicted in absentia.

RSF has made several recommendations to the interim government of Bangladesh to revive press freedom:

• Prosecute those responsible for the murders of the five journalists killed during the Monsoon Revolution (July 1 – August 6, 2024), as well as the perpetrators of the violence that injured more than 250 journalists. Adequate compensation must be provided for both the injured and the families of the deceased.
• Drop the unjust prosecutions against journalists brought by the previous government, including those under the repressive Information and Communication Technology Act of 2006, the Digital Security Act of 2018 and the Cyber ​​Security Act of 2023. At least seven media professionals await are still on trial as a result of using cybersecurity laws to suppress critical voices. Authorities should also pardon exiled journalist Bashir Akon, the victim of this judicial harassment.
• Repeal the draconian Cyber ​​Security Act, the Digital Security Act and the Information and Communication Technologies Act.
• Guarantee the right of every journalist not to be subject to arbitrary detention and prosecution, and his right to presumptive innocence in the event of legal proceedings.
• Expedite the legal proceedings of all unresolved cases of murdered journalists, especially the case of the journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.