(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the caretaker government chief, Latifur Rahman, RSF called for the release of Mahmud Musa, freelance journalist and writer, detained for possessing “banned” publications. RSF welcomes the caretaker government’s refutation of the local authorities’ description of the publications found by police in the journalist’s home as “subversive,” but regrets that […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the caretaker government chief, Latifur Rahman, RSF called for the release of Mahmud Musa, freelance journalist and writer, detained for possessing “banned” publications. RSF welcomes the caretaker government’s refutation of the local authorities’ description of the publications found by police in the journalist’s home as “subversive,” but regrets that Musa’s release has not been demanded. “The law must be applied in the same way throughout the country. We ask that you intervene with the local authorities to obtain the journalist’s release,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard.
According to information collected by RSF, on 6 August 2001 police arrested Musa in Raninagar (in the country’s north-western region) following a complaint lodged for “possession of banned publications.” The policemen ransacked the journalist’s house and confiscated several books by famous Bangladeshi writers, copies of the independent weekly “Jai Jai Din”, human rights newsletters and magazines. According to the police, these are “banned” publications linked with radical underground left-wing movements. Police officer Aminul Islam’s decision was criticised, however, and the caretaker government confirmed in a press release that the publications were on sale freely in the country. Nevertheless, the Naogaon District magistrate refused to release Musa on bail.
