Imprisoned Bangladeshi Journalists Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed complain to the United Nations over arbitrary detention
Lawyers representing imprisoned Bangladeshi journalists Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed have today engaged the Special Procedures of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council.
Ms Rupa and Mr Ahmed, a married couple, were arrested and detained on 21st August 2024 shortly after Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled. They were charged with murder, based on their journalism, and remanded in custody, where they remain. Their arrest and detention are part of a pattern of retaliatory proceedings brought since the change in regime. Hundreds of other journalists perceived to be aligned with the outgoing administration have been targeted since August 2024, and in October and November 2024 several journalists had their press accreditation suspended.
Ms Rupa, a renowned investigative journalist and television presenter, and her husband Mr Ahmed, worked at the Bangladeshi news network Ekkator TV, a privately owned (and government licenced) Bengali-language satellite and cable news channel. Mr Ahmed is Ekkator’s former head of news. The broadcast channel was targeted by student leaders of the July revolution as it was perceived as having a pro-Hasina agenda. Its offices were vandalised and it was forced to temporarily suspend transmission. Since Sheikh Hasina stepped down various other media outlets have been closed and journalists fired, due to ultimatums issued by the protestors.
Given these concerns, on 11th November 2024 the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wrote to Bangladesh’s interim leader, Professor Muhammad Yunus, urging him to protect press freedom in his role as chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh.
These arrests, closures and sackings of journalists in Bangladesh constitute political reprisals against the media. The arrest and detention of Ms Rupa and Mr Ahmed is a particularly grave example. They have been charged with having engaged in journalism critical of the 2024 protests, which criticism is alleged to have amounted to incitement of crimes which resulted in the deaths of student protestors. Essentially, they have been prosecuted for having expressed views contrary to those of the incoming government.
Since their arrest, the couple have been subjected to repeated interrogation without access to lawyers, and Ms Rupa has been, for a time, held in solitary confinement. They have been given very restricted access to their family members and lawyers. Meanwhile further charges have been brought against them. They have now been incarcerated for over 150 days.
Today, lawyers for the family have initiated the complaints procedures to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. The family is represented at international level by lawyers from Doughty Street Chambers in
London and Sydney, led by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC.
Speaking today, Ms Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC said,
“Too often the first casualties of political change are journalists and that is exactly what has happened here. This is a case of nothing other than retributive lawfare. The prosecution of these two peaceful TV news workers is vengeful and vindictive and must end.
“Any value in the reforms ushered in by the regime change in Bangladesh will be swept away unless the incoming government fiercely guards the rule of law and maintains the highest standards of probity. We will be calling on the UN to challenge the Bangladeshi government over its actions in this case, and to free Ms Rupa and Mr Ahmed immediately.”
Joining Ms Gallagher KC on the international legal team for the two journalists are Matthew Lewis SC, Jonathan Price and Nikila Kaushik.
Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia Program Coordinator, said:
“Bangladesh’s interim government must protect press freedom and end any political witch hunts. As the interim government’s head engages with world leaders in Davos, Bangladesh must show its commitment to reforms and drop retaliatory charges against journalists, rather than adopting the previous regime’s playbook by using the law to target critics. The media must uphold ethical journalism and be allowed to report without fear or favour in this new political era.”
*Ends*
Notes for editors:
- The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is one of the thematic special procedures overseen by the United Nations Human Rights Council. It is constituted by five internationally recognised, independent experts in the field, of balanced geographical representation, and its rulings are considered to be authoritative of States’ international obligations.
- The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression is currently held by Irene Khan (appointed in June 2020), former Secretary General of Amnesty International, and one-time Consulting Editor of the Daily Star, Bangladesh’s largest English-language newspaper.
- The CPJ letter to Professor Muhammed Yunus can be found here.
- Today’s UN action comes shortly before Professor Yunus will be addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, on Thursday 23rd January 2025.
- Press queries for the international legal team should be directed to c.gallagher@doughtystreet.co.uk. Press inquiries for CPJ should be sent to press@cpj.org.