Neela Pandya
WASHINGTON DC: Asian Americans across the country have expressed a sense of joy over reports that photographer Shahidul Alam has finally been granted bail at the behest of Bangladesh judicial system
Alam, an award-winning photographer, writer, and activist, was arrested on August 5 hours after news outlet Al-Jazeera released an interview with the artist discussing ongoing student demonstrations in Bangladesh. Alam had photographed the student protesters in Dhaka and discussed the demonstrations on Facebook Live.
Alam was charged under Section 57 of Bangladesh’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, a restrictive law regulating online speech that “tends to deprave or corrupt,” or opposes the state’s ideology. In recent years, the ICT Act has been used repeatedly to crack down on journalists, writers and activists.
Karin Deutsch Karlekar, director of PEN America’s Free Expression at Risk Programs, said the organization is “relieved that after 102 days in detention and several unsuccessful attempts to secure bail while the case filed against him is under investigation, Shahidul Alam has finally been granted bail. We now call on Bangladeshi authorities to ensure his prompt release, and for the charges to be dropped altogether.
“Free expression is not a crime, and Alam should never have been detained under a repressive law for simply expressing his opinion about current events,” Karin asserted.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide.
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
