FE Report
A total of 205 journalists and eight bloggers were attacked in 2014, according to a report released Sunday.
Four journalists were killed including Shah Alom Mollah who was allegedly pushed to his death by the police from the rooftop of West Uttara police station, said a press release.
Article 19, an international organisation on freedom of expression, released the report, "Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh, 2014" at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on the occasion of World Press freedom Day.
The report further said 40 journalists were seriously injured and 62 others came under minor assault.
The report highlighted an alarming 106 per cent increase in harassment with figures rising from 33 in 2013 to 68 in 2014.
Defamation still continues to be a strong weapon of harassment especially against those journalists reporting on corruption and irregularities of those in position of influence.
The report also said 13 media persons faced contempt proceedings, last year including the editor of Prothom Alo Motiur Rahman, it's joint editor, Mizanur Rahman and blogger and British journalist David Bergman,
Releasing the findings of the report, Tahmina Rahman, Director of ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh and South Asia, said non-action for attacks against journalists, delays in investigations reaching chronic levels and the absence of convictions nurtured a culture of impunity.
Women journalists continued to face work place hostility, gender-based harassment and discrimination when seeking leadership positions in press associations. Two such women journalists were present at the conference.
Arbitrary arrest under section 57 of the ICT Act continued with 13 arrests in 2014, eight among them were still in custody -- Kazi Mahbubur Rahman Rahi, Ullas Das, Shamsuzzoha, Imran Has Arig, On Sing Marma, Sukur Ali, Sezan Hasan and Robiullah Robi.
The report finds that there has been an increase in violations perpetrated by state actors, from 12.5 per cent in 2013 to 33.69 per cent in 2014. An overall 23 per cent were carried out by the police, special forces such as the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and by detective branch of the police. In 11 per cent of the cases, attacks were perpetrated by public officials working outside law enforcement agencies.
