Wholesale murder cases against journos abuse of laws: Editors’ Council

The Editors’ Council, representing top editors across Bangladesh, has voiced strong concern over the ongoing trend of filing indiscriminate murder cases against journalists, saying that such actions undermine the promise of independent journalism by the interim government.

The council in “unequivocal voice” said that such cases are an abuse of existing laws.

The previous government’s attempts to stifle the voice of journalists through restrictive laws, harassment and arrests were widely condemned and criticised in the global arena. 

Currently, the trend of arbitrary murder cases against journalists is also undermining the image of the interim government in the international arena, added the Council.

“In this situation, if no involvement of the accused journalists is found after proper scrutiny, the Editors’ Council urges them to be released from these cases as soon as possible,” Council’s President, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, and General Secretary, Daily Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, said in a statement today (14 September).

They said if journalists have committed any offence, legal action can be taken against them by following appropriate procedures based on specific allegations.

The Council stressed that unethical journalism deviating from professionalism should be avoided.

The journalists, who supported the oppressive activities of the previous government in the name of journalism, may be investigated by forming a committee in the Press Council, the statement reads.

“If found guilty there, they can be punished under the Press Council Act. In case of their other offences, they may be tried under the existing law on the recommendation of the Press Council,” the statement added.