Human Rights Watch has urged the Bangladeshi authorities to protect the bloggers and persecute those who are targeting free speech instead of “promoting self-censorship.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said: “Bangladesh authorities should unequivocally declare their commitment to free speech instead of proposing self-censorship.”
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The statement came following the brutal murder of another secular blogger Niladri Chakrabarti, who used the pen name Niloy Neel.
Regarding the killing, Brad said: “The August 7 killing is a harrowing reminder of the need for the Bangladesh government to take immediate steps to protect the security of all and end attempts at muzzling independent voices.”
Referring to a recent statement by Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque, the HRW stated: “Instead of addressing police failure to respond to threats against Chakrabarti or to arrest those responsible for the earlier murders, The IGP warned that hurting religious sentiments is a crime according to our law.”
“It’s shocking that Bangladesh authorities not only failed to protect the bloggers despite complaints to the police about threats against them, but instead are proposing self-censorship,” said Brad Adams. “The government should recall that its duty is to uphold the Constitution and protect people’s lives, as well as their religious freedom.”
While assuring a speedy investigation, the IGP reportedly recommended: “Those who are free thinkers and writers, I will request them, please make sure that we don’t cross the line. Anything that may hurt anyone’s religious sentiments or beliefs should not be written.”
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Although Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said there will be a speedy investigation into the blogger murders, she had earlier also promised action against bloggers for “hurting people’s religious sentiments,” added the statement.
The statement also alleged that the present government has also “targeted free speech, threatening or prosecuting contempt of court cases against civil society activists and journalists, shuttering media houses critical of the government, and arresting human rights defenders who criticise violations by security forces.”
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Niloy Neel is the fourth blogger to be murdered in Bangladesh this year for advocating secularism. All four were listed by extremist groups as among 84 bloggers they described as anti-Islamic.
In February, blogger Avijit Roy, a United States national of Bangladeshi origin, and his wife were attacked with machetes on a street in Dhaka.
A month later, blogger Washiqur Rahman was murdered in a similar attack on a Dhaka street. In May, 33-year-old blogger Ananta Bijoy Das was killed in a machete attack in Sylhet city.
In February 2013, another atheist blogger, Ahmed Rajib Haider, was stabbed to death and a month later, in March, blogger Asif Mohiuddin was severely injured in a similar attack.
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The human rights watchdong called upon the Bangladesh government to immediately investigate these premeditated killings, and identify and prosecute those that conspired or ordered these murders.
“Sheikh Hasina’s government can’t afford to send mixed messages about these attacks on bloggers just for expressing their opinions about religion,” Brad said. “Instead of trying to appease the attackers, it’s time for her government to state that those who plan, incite, order, and carry out acts of violence will be prosecuted.”