Dhaka, Sep 28 (Just News): Activists and journalists in New York have demonstrated for release of Shahidul Alam during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s speech at the United Nations’ General Assembly .
The demonstration took place on September 27 around 5:00pm (US time) at UN headquarters. Family and friends of Shahidul were present.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch joined in the protests.
The protestors denounced the imprisonment of Shahidul, journalists, and student protesters in Bangladesh; also condemning the “draconian” Digital Security Bill in Bangladesh.
“If one silences the creative artists and intellectuals, then the conscience of the state is killed,” Columbia University Professor Gayatri Spivak said at the programme.
Steven Butler, Asia Program Coordinator of CPJ, said the new law “would violate constitutional guarantees of press freedom and would create legal dangers for journalists”.
“His detention is an attempt to intimidate and silence voices of dissent in Bangladesh,” said Julie Trébault, director of the Artists at Risk Connection at PEN America.
South Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Meenakshi Ganguly said: “The government has accused Shahidul Alam of “false propaganda” but he was doing what he has always done: speak up for human rights”.
Wasfia Nazreen, National Geographic Explorer and Bangladesh’s only Seven Summiteer, said: “Shahidul is a living legend who taught throughout his life how to see the light of our country, even during her darkest hours. He has been wrongly imprisoned.”
Shahidul, also founder of Drik Picture Library, was picked up by plainclothes men from his home in the capital's Dhanmondi on August 5. He alleged, he was tortured in jail.
He has been denied bail on several occasion and is staying in prison since. He has drawn local and international support; but to no avail.
(Justnews/ys/2210hr)
