Bangladeshi expat group in France condemns ‘baseless’ case against 7 journalists

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) yesterday (26 August) expressed grave concern and strongly condemned the "baseless and politically motivated" murder case filed against seven Bangladeshi journalists.

The journalists in question are Mozammel Haque Babu, Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Ahmed Jobaer, Munni Saha, Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, and Nayeemul Islam Khan.

These charges, related to the tragic death of a student during protests in Jatrabari on 19 July 2024, are not only absurd but also a grave injustice. Reports from various newspapers in Bangladesh indicate that a murder case has been filed against these journalists, along with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 192 others, following the death of Nayeem Howlader, a 17-year-old HSC student at Shanarpar Rowshan Ara Degree College. Nayeem was shot dead during the anti-quota protests in Jatrabari, and the case was registered at Jatrabari Police Station on 22 August.

Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa are currently on a four-day remand in connection with a separate murder case filed at Uttara East Police Station.

Robert Simon, a prominent French human rights activist and Chief Adviser of JMBF, stated, "Targeting journalists with false accusations and legal harassment is a gross violation of human rights and an attack on the democratic values that underpin society. Such actions set a dangerous precedent and serve as a chilling reminder of the growing threats to press freedom in Bangladesh."

Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder and President of JMBF, added, "Filing false cases against journalists is a deliberate attempt to stifle free speech, suppress critical voices, silence independent journalism, intimidate the media, and undermine the foundations of press freedom in Bangladesh. This practice must stop immediately."

JMBF has called upon the interim government of Bangladesh to immediately withdraw these baseless charges against all the journalists, release Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa, and respect the fundamental rights of journalists to report the truth without fear of retribution.

JMBF further urged the government to reaffirm its commitment to press freedom, ensure the safety of all journalists, and cease using the judiciary as a tool for political repression.