Amnesty International has called on authorities in Bangladesh to withdraw charges filed by the International Crimes Tribunal against detained Ekattor Television journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Haque, saying the case threatens press freedom.

 

In a statement issued on 21 May, Amnesty criticised the charges linked to a 2013 report aired by Ekattor Television on the Shapla Square crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam protesters.

 

Amnesty’s South Asia Regional Director Smriti Singh said prosecuting journalists over a decade-old report under crimes against humanity charges was “an affront to fundamental principles of press freedom”.

 

Both journalists are already in detention in separate cases linked to the July 2024 protests. The organisation called on Bangladeshi authorities to drop all charges linked to the journalists’ professional work and ensure protection of freedom of expression and media freedom in line with international human rights obligations.