Verdict in ICT case against Odhikar leaders deferred to 14 Sep
Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and its Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan are accused in an ICT case (presently Digital Security Act) on charges of “distorted report and doctored images” about police action on a Hefajat-e-Islam rally in Motijheel in the capital on 6 May 2013
The announcement of the verdict in an ICT case filed against two officials of the rights body Odhikar has been deferred to 14 September.
Judge AM Julfiker Hayet of Dhaka Cyber Tribunal was scheduled to announce the verdict on 7 September but could not prepare the verdict and set the new date, said the defendant's lawyer Advocate Mohammad Ahsanuzzaman.
Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and its Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan are accused in an ICT case (presently Digital Security Act) on charges of "distorted report and doctored images" about police action on a Hefajat-e-Islam rally in Motijheel in the capital on 6 May 2013.
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On 10 August 2013, Adilur Rahman Khan, a prominent human rights activist, was arbitrarily detained after Odhikar published a fact-finding report on extrajudicial killings and excessive use of force to disperse a protest in Bangladesh.
Khan's whereabouts remained unknown for several hours until the police filed a case against him under the Information and Communication Technology Act, 2006, which was later replaced by the government in 2018 with the Digital Security Act.
Adilur Khan was in custody for 62 days while Elan, who was detained later, was in custody for 25 days. Both were released on bail.
"The criminal charges relate to a fact-finding report they compiled 10 years ago on extra-judicial killings. Both have faced harassment and intimidation. Their organisation's licence was not renewed too," a Human Rights Watch statement said.
