Maheshkhali OC shares video of arrestee confessing to crimes; draws flak

In what could be a flagrant violation of human rights, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Maheshkhali Police Station has shared a video on Facebook of an arrestee confessing to his crimes.

The video was made even before the arrestee was handed over to the court.

The incident drew criticism from lawyers and senior police officers who said the police cannot, under any circumstances, release pictures or videos of an accused.

They said labelling someone a criminal and making him confess to his crime immediately after arrest is a clear violation of human rights.

Maheshkhali Thana police on Wednesday arrested Abdur Rahim for his alleged involvement in an incident of hacking a man named Mubarak on 10 January.

After his arrest, Maheshkhali OC Pranab Chowdhury released a video from his personal Facebook ID on Wednesday night where he, along with three other police officers, were seen introducing the accused Abdur Rahim as a violent terrorist.

The officers took Adbur's confession by making him demonstrate with a sharp weapon how he had committed the crime.

In the seven-minute video, OC Pranab Chowdhury also introduced himself and the other officials present there.

Throughout the video, Pranab referred to Abdur Rahim as the person responsible for the hacking.

He was heard saying Abdur Rahim had four arrest warrants against him, including one over a rape case in 2009.

Criticism started pouring in soon after the video was uploaded on Facebook.

In reply to a comment terming the incident a violation to the High Court rules, OC Pranab Chowdhury wrote, "If you don't share the video, how will you file news?"

High Court lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua told The Business Standard, "There is a judgment of the High Court Division that a man arrested in a case is innocent until he is convicted."

He said uploading the video was a clear violation of the law.

"The sharing of the video socially humiliated the person when there were specific instructions not to conduct media trials," the HC lawyer added.

The "Bangladesh Police Social Media and Digital Device Usage Guidelines, 2022" states that no video, still image, audio or information about matters under investigation or trial shall be published on social media.

Advocate Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, president of the Committee of Concerned Citizens (CCC), Chattogram Metropolitan, Transparency International Bangladesh, said, "In recent times, the police are seen violating people's rights for their self-promotion."

Asked about the matter, Chattogram Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Anwar Hossain told The Business Standard, "It was unfair. There are clear instructions from the High Court Division in this regard. We are now taking action in this matter."