A new report by the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s TrialWatch initiative and the Centre for Governance Studies says Bangladesh’s 2018 Digital Security Act was widely used to intimidate journalists before its repeal in 2023.
The groups analyzed 222 cases involving 396 journalists and found that politicians initiated 73 of those cases, often leading to arbitrary arrests without warrants. Many journalists said they experienced abuse, including one who reported electric shocks during questioning about alleged police corruption.
“The DSA’s broad and vague provisions facilitated the criminalization of reporting and dissent,” said Maneka Khanna of TrialWatch.
CGS president Zillur Rahman said future governments must ensure protections for the press as the 2025 Cyber Security Ordinance retains vague language that could still restrict speech.