10 Aug 2018 | Campaigns -- Featured, Statements
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On 6 August 2018, Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam was arrested and detained for allegedly “making provocative comments”, and “giving false information” to media, contrary to the Information Communications Technology Act (ICT Act). He remains in detention. Since being taken into custody, Alam has been denied access to his lawyers, and was reportedly beaten and is in poor health. Authorities initially agreed that Alam would be taken to hospital for medical assistance, but after a brief visit on 8 August he has been returned to detention. 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 receive proper medical care.
63-year old Alam was arrested at his home in Dhaka on the evening of 5 August 2018 and brought into police custody a few hours after he posted a video on Facebook and participated in an interview with Al Jazeera about the ongoing road safety protests in Dhaka, where more than 40 journalists and media workers have been injured by groups of armed men.
Alam is accused of violations under Section 57 of the Information Communications Technology 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. It has been widely applied against journalists and ordinary citizens who have been arrested, prosecuted and jailed solely for their expression.
On 9 August, a petition by Alam’s lawyers was heard at the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh demanding they have access to Alam, that he be brought before the court and seeking a court order that he is not subjected to ill-treatment while in custody. The High Court ordered the Home Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh to “arrange medical treatment” for Alam in accordance with Section 2(6) of the Torture and Custodial Death Prevention Act 2013, to make a full medical assessment for ill-treatment, and to report to the court by 13 August 2018.
ARTICLE 19 and the undersigned national and international human rights organisations call for Shahidul Alam’s immediate and unconditional release, and that all allegations against him be dropped as they represent a blatant violation of his right to freedom of expression. We further urge the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately comply with the court’s order and grant Alam proper medical assistance without delay.
We remain deeply concerned by the use of laws such as the ICT Act in Bangladesh to legally harass journalists and media workers and violate the right to freedom of expression, and call for its urgent repeal.
Signed
ARTICLE 19
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK)
Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF)
Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWF)
Bangladesh Adivasi Forum
Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movements (BDERM)
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC)
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
German Section of Amnesty International
Sramik Nirapotta Forum (SNF)
Boys of Bangladesh (BOB)
Friends Association for Integrated Revolution (FAIR)
International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX)
Index on Censorship
Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF)
National Alliance of Disabled Peoples Organizations
Nijera Kori
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Steps Towards Development
Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB)
Nagorik Uddyog
Open Society Foundations Program on Independent Journalism
Jagriti Prokashoni[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1533911170502-46b50a00-93a8-2″ taxonomies=”99″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
9 Aug 2018 | Events
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”102120″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Join Authors’ Club, Media Diversified, Index on Censorship, and the Jhalak Prize for a discussion of the ways in which dissenting voices are structurally silenced – and the many ways to resist. Sunny Singh (author and Jhalak Prize co-founder), Sarah Shaffi (literary editor and journalist), Catherine Johnson (author and Jhalak Prize inaugural judge) and Jamilah Ahmed (author and literary agent) will share their own experiences on how institutions and structures operate in subtle legal ways to silence voices that are considered discomfiting, challenging and dangerous. They will also reflect on the ways in which contemporary writing and publishing continue to find means of resisting such unofficial forms of censorship.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”101907″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.bannedbooksweek.org.uk”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]In partnership with[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”102333″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://mediadiversified.org/about-us/jhalak-prize/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”102334″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http://www.authorsclub.co.uk/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”102335″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://mediadiversified.org/”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
When: Friday 28 September, 7-9pm
Where: Lady Violet Room, National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place SW1A 2HE (Directions)
Tickets: Free. Registration required via Eventbrite
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9 Aug 2018 | Events
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”102094″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Join London’s free-thinking comedy club, Comedy Unleashed, for an evening of uncensored comedy featuring:
Shappi Khorsandi
Shappi came 11th in last year’s ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!’. But she’s also done some other things, which include Presidency of the Humanist Association, writing a novel, defending everyone’s right to free speech and fleeing the Iranian Islamic revolution as a child.
You already know that Shappi is a top comedian and a beautiful person. She’s great, come and see her in ‘unleashed mode’.
People Like Us
Julie Burchill and Jane Robin’s hilarious play about the chattering classes and their Brexit horror hits London theatreland in October. We will be treated to a live preview from the play.
Jay Handley
Jay pokes fun at unthinking orthodoxies and unpicks liberal pretensions. He was a hit at a previous Comedy Unleashed gig and, in response to many requests, we have given Jay a longer slot. Here’s a taster
Godfrey Elfwick Memorial Service, performed by Andrew Doyle
Elfwick was a brilliant Twitter caricature of the excesses of the liberal-left. He, or rather xe, identified as a ‘genderqueer Muslim atheist’ who was ‘born white in the #WrongSkin’. For some, the image of Godfrey on the Women’s March in a full burka and pink pussy that was a step too far. Godfrey has been banned by Twitter. This is our memorial to his life.
Red Richardson
Red Richardson sees Red.
Dan Evans – Compere
Dan is an overgrown kid who enjoys losing himself in surrealism. He won’t give you his life story or deliver well-rehearsed observational stories. Thank god for that.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
When: Tuesday 11 September 2018, 7:30-10pm
Where: Backyard Comedy Club, 231 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 0EL (directions)
Tickets: £9-17
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In partnership with[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”102326″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”http://comedyunleashed.co.uk/”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
