More than 137 journalists have been implicated in 32 criminal cases filed across Dhaka, Chattogram, Bogura, and Rajshahi in the aftermath of the July uprising. The charges against them include murder, attempted murder, abduction, unlawful assembly, rioting, vandalism, extortion, assault—and, in some cases—genocide and crimes against humanity. The cases, filed between August 21 last year and April 20 this year, were documented by The Daily Star through police records and case files.
A significant number of these cases list the journalists as co-accused alongside ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Several have been charged under the Explosive Substances Act. Press freedom groups and human rights activists have voiced grave concerns over the sweeping charges.
Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and rights activists have decried the crackdown as a direct threat to press freedom.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi defended the charges, saying that journalists who voiced support for Sheikh Hasina in TV appearances encouraged her actions during the uprising. “They may not have committed the acts directly but abetted them through their statements,” Faruqi said. He further alleged that some journalists had financially benefited from their ties with the former prime minister.
However, Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua criticized the legal actions, calling them alarming and politically motivated. “Criminal cases are being weaponized by politically backed individuals for personal gain,” he said, noting that many of the accused were linked to incidents in areas where no student protests or violence occurred. Referring to journalist couple Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed, who are facing murder charges, he said the accusations appeared vague and disproportionate.
Barua added, “Threats and physical attacks on journalists are already common. Now, murder charges are being used to suppress press freedom, violating Article 29 of the Constitution, which guarantees professional independence.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner (Media), Muhammad Talebur Rahman, stated that investigations are being conducted sincerely and that those proven innocent would be cleared. He added that officers have been instructed not to harass innocent individuals.
Dhaka Sees Most Cases
Of the 32 cases, Dhaka has the highest number, with 19 cases filed against 77 journalists. These include allegations of murder, attempted murder, rioting, and more. Two of the Dhaka cases were filed with the International Crimes Tribunal.
Several high-profile journalists have already been arrested, including Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Mozammel Babu, Shyamal Dutta, Sheikh Muhammad Jamal Hossain, and Arif Hasan. So far, only Jamal has been granted bail.
The most recent case, filed on April 20 at Mirpur Model Police Station, named Sheikh Hasina and 407 others—including 24 journalists—as accused in the killing of BNP activist Mahfuz Alam Shraban during the July uprising.
In Chattogram, two cases were filed against 33 journalists, involving charges of attempted murder and abduction.
In Bogura, eight cases were lodged against 22 journalists, including four based in Dhaka. Four of those cases involve murder charges.
In Rajshahi, three cases name 14 journalists, alleging involvement in vandalism, extortion, and assault.
Additionally, in August last year, 28 journalists were charged with genocide and crimes against humanity at the International Crimes Tribunal. The complaint alleges that, during a press conference, they provoked Sheikh Hasina to take violent action against protestors and incited atrocities through biased reporting.
Among those named were Naeemul Islam Khan (former press secretary to Hasina), Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury (former media adviser), Farida Yasmin (former Jatiya Press Club president), Shyamal Dutta (editor, Bhorer Kagoj), Mozammel Babu (Ekattor TV), and several other prominent media professionals.
The Dhaka Union of Journalists strongly condemned the charges, particularly the April 20 murder case involving 24 journalists. In a statement, DUJ President Sajjad Alam Khan Topu and General Secretary Akhter Hossain warned that vague and excessive allegations pose a severe threat to freedom of expression.
“If professional journalists are routinely targeted with criminal charges, a culture of fear will continue to suffocate the media,” the statement said.
Source: The Daily Star
