Amnesty International has called for the release of Anisha Siddika, a 58-year-old woman, who was reportedly detained over her son’s Facebook post criticizing the trial and conviction of an opposition politician by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Sunday.
In this regard, Babu Ram Pant, acting deputy regional director of Campaigns for South Asia said: “The Bangladeshi authorities are showing an alarming trend of intolerance towards those expressing opposing views, both in online and offline spaces.”
“Arresting a mother immediately after her son’s social media post criticizing the government is ludicrous and a new low in Bangladesh, where endless reports of arbitrary detention of opposition politicians and activists in the lead up to next year’s general election has created a climate of fear and distrust,” he added.
Babu Ram Pant further said: “Bangladeshi authorities must release Anisha Siddika immediately or promptly charge her with a recognizable offence, in accordance with international standards. They must also urgently stop their practice of arbitrarily detaining people solely for their dissenting views. It is not a crime to hold and express different political opinions.
“Instead of targeting critical voices, the authorities must ensure that people are able to exercise their human rights prior to, during and after the election, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal or discrimination,” he added.
However, police denied any connection of Anisha's arrest with her son’s Facebook post.
Khalishpur police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Monirul Gias had said that they arrested the woman and two others on charges of “sabotage”.
According to the first information report (FIR) of the case, Anisha Siddika was arrested on Sunday under Section 15(3) (sabotage) and Section 25(D) (penalty for attempt) the draconian Special Powers Act 1974.
The FIR states that the investigation found that Anisha has “colluded” with the other defendants to carry out “various harmful acts with the intention of causing deliberate sabotage against the government” to protest the arrests of leaders of Jamaat, an opposition political party in Bangladesh.
On Wednesday, a Khulna court denied her bail.