ERF condemns naming journos in murder cases alongside political leaders, calls for action
The Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) has condemned naming journalists in recently filed murder cases alongside political leaders.
In a joint statement today (16 September), ERF President Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem said, "It is worrisome for us and the society. It is more concerning for us that three of our [ERF] members are also the victims of such murder cases."
It is against the fundamental rights and human rights of journalists, said the statement, adding, "It will be very difficult for journalists to perform their professional duties if they are harassed in the name of murder cases."
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"We from the FRF strongly condemn such false cases against the journalists and at the same time, we demand immediate withdrawal of their names from these murder cases and stop the harassment.
"We will fail to achieve our objective of an equal rights based society and to establish a society with proper justice if such purposeful, false and baseless murder cases are filed against professional journalists to harass them," said Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha, ERF President.
"I hope the current government will stand by the fundamental rights of professional journalists and take measures in this regard," he added.
"I demand the withdrawal of the names of the ERF members from the murder cases," said ERF General Secretary Abul Kashem.
Abul Kashem also demanded punitive actions against those who filed "false murder cases" against journalists.
