The ruling party in Bangladesh is using state mechanisms to curb the media, says a report published by London-based rights group Article 19.
The report was released in a press briefing at Dhaka Reports’ Unity on Sunday on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. Tahmina Rahman, director of Article 19 Bangladesh and South Asia, released the report.
In its report Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh 2014, ARTICLE 19 recorded a total of 213 attacks in 2014, 205 against journalists and 8 against bloggers and online users.
There has been an alarming increase in violations perpetrated by state actors, from 12.5% in 2013 to 33.69% in 2014. An overall 23% were carried out by the police, Special Forces such as the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and by detective branch of the police, report said.
The report finds that 4 journalists were killed, attacks on the physical integrity remains significant with 40 serious injuries and 62 minor assaults.
The report also finds that 17 persons were arrested included eight bloggers and online users and 13 media persons faced contempt proceedings, including editors, publishers, senior officers of journalists’ associations and a media executive.
The report did not record a single conviction for violence against journalists in 2014, it reads.
The report worrying patterns of insufficient legal action against attacks on journalists, taking no steps in 56.55 percent of the cases.
