International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression
30 July 2003
ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS ALARM IFEX MEMBERS
In Bangladesh, a series of recent threats and attacks on journalists has spurred the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) to write letters to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia urging prompt investigations.
Since 9 July, there have been at least three incidents in which as many as nine journalists were beaten, shot at or threatened with death, CPJ reports. The most recent occurred on 20 July when a gang brutally assaulted Shafiq Shaheen, a reporter for the daily newspaper "Manabzamin." A week before the attack, Shaheen wrote an article about the gang's illegal activities in Dhanmondi, a neighborhood in the capital, Dhaka, CPJ notes. Shaheen suffered
serious injuries as a result of the beating.
On 19 July, unidentified gunmen fired at Mokter Hossain, a correspondent for the daily "Prothom Alo" in Natore., CPJ says. While he was not injured, Hossain and his colleagues suspect he was targeted because of his work as a journalist. During the last year, Hossain has reported on links between local politicians and gangs in Natore, CPJ says.
Meanwhile, seven journalists in the southern district of Pirojpur were mailed anonymous death threats on 9 July, IFJ and CPJ report. The journalists say the threats may be the work of a local businessman in response to recent articles about his tactics in securing a road-building contract, CPJ says.
Reporting on crime and corruption in Bangladesh can be as dangerous as reporting in a war zone, says CPJ. In its 2002 Attacks on the Press report, the group says, "Journalists regularly endure vicious attacks, and since 1998, five Bangladeshi journalists have been killed in reprisal for their work."
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Write a letter to the Bangladeshi government using CPJ's sample letter:
http://www.cpj.org/protests/03ltrs/Bangla23july03pl.html
For more information, visit:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/52158/
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/attacks02/asia02/bangla.html
- Reporters sans frontières: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=2622
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