Dhaka: Following the death sentencing of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the National Cyber Security Agency in the South Asian nation called on the media to refrain from disseminating statements made by the former leader, local media reported on Tuesday. This is seen as yet another attempt made by the interim government’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, to unconstitutionally suppress the activities of the Awami League and its leader, Sheikh Hasina.
According to the agency, it is “deeply concerned” that some media outlets are broadcasting remarks from the “convicted fugitive”, referring to Hasina. The NCSA said that those statements contain directives that “might incite violence, disorder and criminal activities.” Even though the agency said that it “respects freedom of the press” and “freedom of expression”, it called on the country’s media organisations to avoid publishing “statements from convicted individuals” and to remain mindful of their legal responsibilities.
Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists worldwide have voiced serious concerns over the verdict against the former Bangladesh Prime Minister, warning that the “biased and non-transparent” judicial process of the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) poses a serious threat to the rule of law in the South Asian nation.
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The statement came after the ICT on Monday pronounced a death sentence for the former Prime Minister after finding her guilty on the charges of “crimes against humanity” related to the demonstrations in July 2024. The ICT also convicted two of Hasina’s top aides, sentencing former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned state witness, to five years’ imprisonment.
“We, 102 journalists working across various media outlets at home and abroad, express our profound concern regarding the ongoing judicial proceedings and today’s verdict delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh,” read a joint statement issued by journalists, which was posted by the Awami League on its social media platform. “In recent weeks, the environment surrounding the ICT has raised grave questions about the independence of the judiciary.
Statements from different actors, inconsistencies in judicial proceedings, lack of transparency, and clear indications of political influence have collectively undermined public confidence in the neutrality of the trial. When the judiciary is unable to function independently, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law come under severe threat,” the statement added.
The signatories called for the immediate annulment of this verdict and the recommencement of all judicial proceedings in a fully transparent and impartial manner. “Whether the accused is a political leader or an ordinary citizen, justice must be administered transparently, impartially, and without coercion. Due process and neutrality are fundamental prerequisites of any fair trial — elements that were gravely absent in this case,” the group of journalists emphasised.