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Alert

Newspaper reporter brutally beaten by guards for photographing prison

(RSF/IFEX) - "Daily Star" reporter Mirza Shakil, 34, was badly beaten by approximately a dozen guards at Tangail prison, located in the centre of the country, on 24 May 2008 when he took photos of the prison through the perimeter railings. The guards knocked Shakil to the ground and beat him with batons and iron bars, inflicting many injuries for which he was hospitalised and remained in observation for several days.

Ehsanul Haq, a reporter for the daily "Amader Shomoy", told RSF that two of the guards were immediately suspended and that the authorities had told Shakil a commission would be appointed to investigate the incident.

The Tangail Press Club condemned the attack and wrote to the interior ministry calling for those responsible to be brought to trial. So far, no action has been taken against chief prison guard Nazrul Islam, who allegedly told the guards to beat Shakil.