Bangladesh’s new Digital Security Act is an attack on freedom of expression that is even more “repressive” than the legislation it has replaced, says Amnesty International
In a report titled ‘Muzzling Dissent Online’, the UK-based rights body warns that vague and overly broad provisions of the new law could be used to intimidate and imprison journalists and social media users, silence dissent and carry out invasive forms of surveillance.
It Deputy South Asia Director Dinushika Dissanayake said, “Instead of breaking with the past, where the Information Communication Technology Act was used to arrest at least 1,200 people in Bangladesh, this draconian new law threatens to be even more repressive.
“The Digital Security Act criminalises many forms of freedom of expression, and imposes heavy fines and prison sentences for legitimate forms of dissent. It is incompatible with international law and standards and should be amended immediately.”
The Digital Security Act has replaced the Information and Communication Technology Act (ICT) in the country after the Bangladesh government pledged to guarantee the right to freedom of expression.
However, Amnesty International claims the new act is plagued by a lack of clear definitions, explanations and exceptions, including repressive non-bailable penalties for at least 14 offences.
“Section 25 provides special protection to the state, and thus may be used to prohibit or punish legitimate political expression. Section 28 states that publication or broadcast of ‘any information that hurts religious values or sentiments’ is a criminal offence,” the human rights group said.
The new act is criticised for providing absolute power to the government’s Digital Security Agency to initiate investigations into anyone whose activities are deemed harmful or a threat. The agency can also order the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to remove and block any information or data on the internet.
The act also gives the police absolute power to arrest anyone, without a warrant, simply on suspicion that a crime may be committed using digital media.
“In the absence of a judicial review process to examine and reverse actions of the state in Bangladesh, the discretion of the Digital Security Agency appears immense and arbitrary,” warns Amnesty’s Dissanayake.
“The government must have proper safeguards for the public to seek redress if they feel their rights are violated and their opinions censored by the state unfairly,” he adds.