Sunday, 7 April 2013

Bloggers’ media parade challenged in HC

They sought from the High Court’s rule why such action by police would not be declared illegal.

The bloggers were arrested on Apr 2 on suspicion that they insulted Islam and Prophet Mohammad in their blog posts. Later the Detective Branch of police produced them before media.

The arrests took place amid calls by hardline group Hifazat-e-Islam that these bloggers must be punished and the Prime Minister promising action.

The three were remanded for seven days on last Tuesday.

Challenging the action by detectives, Barrister Sara Hossain and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua filed a writ petition with the High Court on behalf of the petitioners on Sunday.

Ain-o-Salish Kendra Executive Director Sultana Kamal, Jahangirnagar University teacher Anu Muhammad, Dhaka University teachers Dr Gitiara Nasreen. Professor Rafiqullah Khan, Robaet Ferdous and Fahmidul Huq are the petitioners.

The petition sought an order from the High Court as to why producing bloggers Subrata Adhikari Shuvo, Mashiur Rahman Biplob and Rasel Parvez before media would not be deemed an infringement on the sections 27, 31, 33 and 35 of the Constitution.

It also referred to a Dec 4 order by the High Court that had asked authorities not to parade any suspects or detainees before the media. The petition argued that presenting the bloggers before media was also a violation of that order and sought a rule from the court.

The Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner, DMP Deputy Commissioner (media), Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge and its Sub-inspector Sajjad Hossain have been made respondents to the petition.

The writ petition also urged the High Court to ask the respondents, especially DMP Deputy Commissioner (media), to compensate the three bloggers for causing them personal losses and endangering their lives through exposure to media.

The petition also asked for the bloggers’ personal security in jail and when they are out.

The petitioners said they watched the three bloggers on television as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police convened a news conference where they were introduced as bloggers and atheists.

The petitioners said the police failed to bring any specific allegations against them and yet the officials blamed them for making derogatory comments about Prophet Mohammad. They said such an action by the police prompted them to move the High Court.

During their arrests in separate raids on Dhaka’s Indira Road, Palashi and Monipuri Parha, the police had also seized one desktop computer, one laptop, two internet modems and an external hard disk from them.

Later, a court in Dhaka rejected their pleas for bail and granted police seven days to question each of the detainees. The court said they faced charges of inflammatory postings on the internet on sensitive religious issues.

Shuvo is a master’s student of Dhaka University’s Department of Bangla. His friends and classmates claim that he was ‘picked up’ from the university’s campus at around 10pm on Apr 2.

Biplob and Rasel are former students of Dhaka University.

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