Researchers and civil rights campaigners, in a webinar on Tuesday, called for the formation of an independent commission to examine the justification of filing thousands of cases under the Digital Security Act in the span of five years started from 2018.聽
They also criticised the government for not making the essential information public about 7,001 cases filed under the DSA between 2018 and 2023.
The government renamed the DSA as Cyber Security Act with some amendments though the campaigners said that the changes were not significant.
The Centre for Governance Studies, a research group, organised the webinar on the DSA 2018 titled 鈥�5 Years of the Digital Security Act鈥�, to discuss the journey and transformation of the law and also the dire consequences, it brought along.聽
Ali Riaz, a distinguished professor at Illinois State University, revealed his research findings about 4,000 cases, filed under the DSA and said that politicians and journalists were prime targets of the act.
He said that the government in June 2023 revealed an incomplete data that 7,001 cases were filed under the DSA without mentioning the number of accused and arrested, made in those cases and identities of the complainants, among others.
Professor Riaz, also the president of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies, highlighted some issues, including lack of transparency, abuse in pre-trial detention, and cases against the 28 underage.
His research found that at least 451 journalists were sued under the DSA in five years, starting from the end of 2018, while 255 of them for their reports.
At least 97 of the journalists 鈥� 50 working for outlets outside Dhaka 鈥� were arrested. Among the accused, 209 journalists were associated with national-level media and 197 with regional media outlets, according to the research.
Ali Riaz recommended that an independent commission should be set up, incorporating civil society member, rights campaigners, journalist and representative from the United Nations Human Rights Office.
鈥楿nless the democracy is upheld, the DSA or the CSA will be used as weapon of choice for the ruling party people,鈥� he added.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of good governance campaigning initiative Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, seconded the recommendation.聽聽
He believed that the DSA was weaponised politically to protect a quarter from any criticism.
Faruq Faisel, executive director at rights group Ain o Salish Kendra, said that the DSA had created huge fear among the people, resulting self-censorship that affected newspapers and democracy.
Shafiqul Alam, bureau chief of newswire Agence France-Presse, said that the objective of the DSA was to criminalise free speech.
鈥榃hen the authorities notice that free speech is transitioning to digital platforms, they need a tool to 鈥榗ontrol鈥� it. No matter what form it stays in, be it the DSA or the CSA, its abuse is inevitable,鈥� he added.
Shihab Khan Uddin, a lawyer at Supreme Court, stated that the disputed article 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act was incorporated into the DSA and then in the CSA, breaking it into several articles.
He opined that the DSA had successfully controlled the press.
Manjur Ahmed Chowdhury, chairman of CGS, said that the people were passing through 鈥榙arkness鈥� due to the DSA.
He urged everyone to speak up any way, they can, against the injustices, these types of acts brought and to firmly participate in the movement to re-establish democracy in the country.
鈥業t is the only way, we can get back our freedom of speech and life,鈥� he added.
Zillur Rahman, executive director of CGS moderated the webinar, mentioned that the DSA had been categorised as 鈥榙raconian law鈥� by the UN office of the High Commissioner for human rights.
He emphasised that people needed to be aware of their human and civil rights along with being able to practice democracy freely.
In May 2023, the then law minister Anisul Huq announced that a special high-power committee would be formed soon to review all existing complaints, filed under the DSA.
He came up with the announcement after an expert of the United Nations office in Geneva raised concern over the 鈥榙raconian law鈥�.
