PEN Bangladesh, a platform of Bangladesh-based writers, poets, publishers, editors, translators, journalists, and academics, condemned has condemned the arrest of poet and journalist Henry Swapon.
“As an organization that firmly believes in the tenets of freedom of speech and expression, we at PEN Bangladesh Center deeply condemn the arrest of an eminent poet and journalist Henry Swapon,” read a media statement on Wednesday (May 5).
The statement said that Bangladesh police on Tuesday (May 14) arrested him under the Digital Security Act from his residence the Goal Pukur Christian Community area of Barishal district and sent him to jail after producing before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court
“Police said the priest of the local Catholic Church filed an allegation against Henry for his Facebook status criticizing a program of a local church. “
“We are a country whose very identity is shaped by its historic fight for linguistic, cultural and ideological liberty; a country known the world over for establishing the International Mother language Day,” the statement read.
“As a people whose very social fabric is woven by the strength of language we cannot and should not stand by the silencing of that language.”
The organisation demanded the immediate release of the poet and withdrawal of the cases against him.