Hossen Sohel: Nineteen civil society groups yesterday issued a joint statement demanding immediate release of Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam and the charges against him to be dropped.
Alam, the founder of Drik Gallery and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, was picked up from his home on Aug 5 under an ICT Act case, reports Bdnews24.com
It was alleged that Alam was attempting to spread ‘fear and panic’ on the internet using ‘fantastical and provocative lies’ during the students’ road safety movement.
The joint statement, signed by organisations such as the Ain o Salish Kendra and Transparency International, Bangladesh, says Alam was denied access to his lawyers, was reportedly beaten and is in poor health.
“We, the undersigned civil society organisations, call for Shahidul Alam’s immediate and unconditional release, that all allegations against him be dropped, and that he receives proper medical care,” the statement said.
The 63-year-old photographer was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University or BSMMU for tests on Aug 8 and returned to Detective Bureau custody afterwards.
Alam was detained after he streamed videos on Facebook Live discussing the clashes in Dhaka’s Jigatala area amid student protests for road safety. He also criticised the government during an interview with Al Jazeera.
The case against Alam was made under the controversial Section 57 of the ICT Act.
“However, journalists and rights activists have consistently raised concerns that the law is incompatible with international human rights standards, including Bangladesh’s international obligations under Article 19 of the ICCPR, due to its broad powers to restrict online expression,” the statement said.