Rights groups urge Bangladesh to withdraw draft cyber law

Global human rights organisations urge Bangladesh to withdraw draft cyber law

Dhaka, Sep 24

In a joint statement, CIVICUS, the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Centre, Front Line Defenders, and South Asians for Human Rights said that the proposed amendments also risk eroding media freedom and restricting public interest reporting.

"Efforts to enhance digital security should not result in undue restrictions on freedom of expression, access to information, media freedom or other constitutionally and internationally protected rights which are particularly significant for the work of the human rights defenders," the organisations stated.

Expressing grave concern, they further said, "several terms used in the draft law, including 'rumour', 'misinformation' 'digital defamation' 'humiliation' 'bullying' and 'fake news ', are vague, overly broad and open to subjective interpretation. The absence of clear and precise definitions creates significant scope for misapplication and arbitrary enforcement."

The rights bodies raised alarm over the new offences introduced under the amendment that impose severe penalties, including lengthy terms of imprisonment, substantial fines, and provisions permitting pre-trial detention for conduct related to online expression.

"Such provisions raise serious concerns regarding the criminalisation of online expression and the potential for individuals to be criminalised before the accuracy or intent of contested claims can be properly assessed. These broad and punitive provisions grant excessive discretion to authorities, increasing the risk of selective enforcement and abuse," the signatories stated.

"There are also concerns that proposed amendments would expand the number of authorities empowered to seek the blocking of digital content and make certain crimes non-bailable," they further added.

Questioning the credibility of the consultation process held on September 10, the organisations said that the Bangladeshi government invited only some media professionals, while excluding civil society organisations and human rights defenders.

The organisations called on the authorities to initiate a genuine, inclusive and time-bound consultation process with human rights defenders, civil society, media professionals, technology experts, legal practitioners and other stakeholders.

"Such a process is essential to ensure that any amendments are comprehensive, rights-respecting and consistent with Bangladesh's constitutional guarantees and its international human rights obligations and standards," they noted.

— IANS