Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomed the statement made by the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, which acknowledged that the murder accusations made against over 140 journalists had been hasty conclusions based on “old laws and practices.”
In a statement on Thursday (21 November), it called on Muhammad Yunus to push ahead with structural reforms to guarantee press freedom in Bangladesh.
Questioned by the national daily Daily Star on 20 November about the unfounded “murder” charges brought against over 140 journalists, Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, recognised that the accusations were “hurriedly done, following the old laws and practices.”
He assured that his interim government had “put an end to such actions,” and that a “committee will examine whether these cases are well-founded” — although no schedule has been set for this process.
"It is an encouraging official announcement, signalling that the spiral of revenge that has ensnared hundreds of journalists since last September may soon come to an end," RSF said.
However, when speaking on the topic of the arbitrary cancellation of 167 journalists' accreditation cards, Mohammad Yunus stated that the revoked cards would not prevent the journalists from working but it would limit their access to the official government building.
“Given Mohammad Yunus’ recent official statements, RSF calls on his government to take urgent measures to guarantee journalists are protected against abusive prosecution. The right to a fair trial must be respected, in accordance with the rule of law. A transparent, non-partisan system for allocating and revoking accreditation cards is also essential. This is a crucial momento end the witch-hunt and to make a firm and concrete commitment to press freedom," said RSF's South Asia Desk Head Célia Mercier.
"We now have a significant opportunity to move past everything from the past. Let us not make the same mistakes again. We need to rebuild based on truth and learnings from past errors. If we make mistakes during this process, point them out to us. That's why we value independent journalism. Your feedback helps us notice what we might otherwise miss," RSF said.
During a discussion event called “The role of the media in the July Massacre,” Mohammad Yunus’ Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, said that press freedom organisations such as RSF will be “overlooking” the reality if they don't take into account the past 15 years of Bangladeshi journalism.
RSF takes note of this comment and reiterates its demand that the government eliminate the ongoing political reprisals against journalists.
Due to the political purge following the flight of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina on 5 August, nearly 140 journalists are now facing unfounded prosecution for crimes ranging from the murder of protestors to “crimes against humanity,” a serious charge brought against 25 media professionals.
Five journalists are currently being held on these charges, without any prior investigation.
