29 June 2004

Alert

CPJ condemns ongoing imprisonment of journalist


Incident details

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

imprisoned
(CPJ/IFEX) - In a 29 June 2004 letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, CPJ condemned the ongoing imprisonment of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, the editor and publisher of the tabloid weekly "Blitz", who was jailed on sedition charges. CPJ called for his immediate and unconditional release.

Choudhury was arrested seven months ago, on 29 November 2003, at the Zia International Airport in the capital, Dhaka, while on his way to Israel to participate in a conference with the Hebrew Writers Association. Airport security officers detained Choudhury on suspicion of espionage, and he was charged with passport violations, according to local press reports. Bangladesh has no formal relations with Israel, and it is illegal for citizens to travel there.

Three months later, on 24 February, Choudhury was formally charged with sedition, according to his family. As evidence, Abdul Harif, the officer in charge of airport security, cited articles written by Choudhury about the rise of fundamentalism in Bangladesh that allegedly showed Bangladesh in a critical light.

The passport violation charges against Choudhury were dropped on 1 June because he had already served the mandated prison sentence during his ongoing detention, according to his family. Courts have rejected the family's continuous appeals for Choudhury's release on bail.

Choudhury is being held in the Dhaka Central Jail. He has been denied medical treatment for eye problems that may result in glaucoma, despite two rulings from the High Court this spring ordering that he be allowed to see a doctor, according to his family.

Earlier this year, Choudhury's family sent Prime Minister Zia a letter asking her to help resolve his case and to order his release. In response, they received a copy of a letter from Prime Minister Zia's office to the home minister's office dated 7 June. In the letter, Prime Minister Zia's office requested that the necessary steps be taken to expedite Choudhury's case, according to Choudhury's family.



Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
 

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Updates to this story

Editor awaiting sedition trial receives death threat, health deteriorates 3 March 2006

More on this case

CPJ calls for charges against Bangladeshi journalist to be dropped 27 May 2005 Journalist released on bail after 17 months behind bars but concern for his safety remains 4 May 2005 Authorities proceed in sedition case against journalist 23 February 2005 CPJ condemns journalist's ongoing detention 1 December 2004 International PEN concerned that journalist is being detained for his writings 26 May 2004 Magazine editor held on charge of spying for Israel 2 December 2003

Bangladesh

Ruling party MP assaults TV reporter 4 January 2012 Editor released on bail 28 November 2011 Newspaper editor freed after three months, immediately re-arrested 4 November 2011 Editor granted bail after three months in detention 31 October 2011 Media freedom threatened by wave of violence and harassment 4 October 2011 See all alerts: Bangladesh


 
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