Drop All Charges Against Bangladeshi Journalist Rozina Islam Now

21 May 2021

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) strongly condemns the arrest of Bangladeshi journalist Rozina Islam working with the Prothom Alo newspaper. Rozina was handed over to the police after being detained for nearly six hours by officials in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday, 17 May 2021. A health ministry official subsequently filed a complaint with the police accusing Rozina of stealing confidential official documents from the health ministry under two colonial era laws, the Official Secrets Act of 1923 and the Penal Code of 1860.

Rozina has been reporting on corruption and mismanagement in the health sector for the past months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Her investigative reporting informed the public about the negligence, irregularities and corruption in the government’s response and handling of the pandemic.

Many national and regional rights organisations alongside Bangadeshi journalists have been calling for her release and to inquire into the incident and take action against those responsible for the harassment and arrest of Rozina. The United Nations has expressed concerns over the harassment and arrest of journalist Rozina Islam.

Amnesty International has said:”The circumstances of Rozina Islam’s arrest and the failure of the authorities to provide concrete evidence pointing to a recognisable criminal offence raise further concerns that she is being targeted for her critical reporting. In the absence of such evidence, the authorities must release her immediately.”

‘Violation of Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh 2020’ report by Article 19 recorded 293 attacks on 265 journalists last year while the latest ranking from Reporters Without Borders shows Bangladesh dropped to rank 152 among 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index.The prosecution of Rozina Islam under the Official Secrets Act highlights the worrying trend of using colonial era laws to harass and intimidate journalists, especially women journalists, and is a direct violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Bangladesh is a party[1]. Public interest Information about health and COVID-19 vaccines should not be stifled behind laws on national security. Journalists are public watchdogs and do important work to ensure people’s participation in the public discourse.

Rozina was produced in Court on 18 May 2021 and sent to jail custody by the Magistrate who refused her application for bail. A virtual hearing of the case took place this morning, 23 May 2021 at the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. The court granted her bail on a bond of Tk 5,000 with two guarantors — one of whom must be a lawyer, and the other a legal guardian.

APWLD calls on the Government of Bangladesh to:

  • Immediately drop all fabricated charges against journalist Rozina Islam
  • Immediately hold an independent and impartial investigation into the harassment allegations, into Rozina’s arrest and incarceration, and take action against those responsible and ensure reparation
  • Stop attacks on journalists, especially women journalists and ensure their fundamental right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the freedom of the press
  • Repeal the colonial-era law, Official Secrets Act which is in clear violation of the Constitution of Bangladesh and International Human Rights law; specifically the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press

[1]  “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds”

For further information please contact Rachitaa Gupta, Information and Communications Associate at rachitaa@apwld.org