Expressing concern over the case filed against 32 people including Bengali daily Dainik Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury under Digital Security Act, Ain O Shalish Kendra (ASK) demands to drop the charges.
On Monday (Mar 9), ruling lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor has filed the defamation case against 32 people with Sher-E-Bangla Nagar police station over a report on the arrest of suspended Jubo Mahila League leader Shamima Nur Papia run on the outlet.
Mentioning that, ASK said in a media statement on Thursday (Mar 12), “Such cases hamper the freedom of the press and bar the journalists to serve professionally.”
ASK also criticized the Digital Security Act, saying, “Some sections of the law imbalanced with the national and international human rights standard and can be a tool to harass citizens.”
The rights body also urged to revise the sections and amend the act.
Photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajal, who is one of the accused in the case, has disappeared after the case was filed.
ASK called law enforcers for finding him soon.
Manab Zamin Editor Chowdhury said, “The report didn’t mention any name.”
“So none can be defamed with the report,” he added.