(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has protested the arrest of Selim Jahangir, a photographer with the national daily “Janakantha”, for taking pictures at a police checkpoint in the northeastern city of Rajshahi and supposedly “endangering” the life of a judge involved in the operation. “This is a simple abuse of authority,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has protested the arrest of Selim Jahangir, a photographer with the national daily “Janakantha”, for taking pictures at a police checkpoint in the northeastern city of Rajshahi and supposedly “endangering” the life of a judge involved in the operation.
“This is a simple abuse of authority,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to Home Affairs Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury. “How can a photographer endanger a judge’s life by taking pictures of such an event? We ask you to take action to ensure his release and the withdrawal of the charges against him.”
Jahangir, who also works for the local paper “Sonali Dangbad”, was arrested on 1 November 2003 in downtown Rajshahi. Police officers, accompanied by Judge Abdul Majid, were checking people’s identification when a passer-by complained of “police harassment.” Jahangir took pictures of the incident even though the judge had asked him to leave the scene. The journalist was subsequently arrested. Police seized his camera, mobile phone and motorcycle. Jahangir was placed in detention a few hours later. Several journalists went to the police station to ask why their colleague had been detained.
The following day, a court refused to release Jahangir on bail. The authorities told his lawyer that the photographer had been arrested for endangering the judge’s life, disobeying the judge’s orders and not presenting his driver’s licence and motorcycle documents. Police also accused Jahangir of stealing the motorcycle.
Local journalists’ organisations staged a protest march on 2 November calling for the photographer’s release.
Between 1 January and 5 August, RSF recorded 51 physical attacks on journalists in Bangladesh, including about 10 murder attempts, 50 death threats, 13 arrests, 14 unjustified prosecutions and five kidnappings.
