Journalists Imprisoned in 2017 - Anisur Rahman
| Publisher | Committee to Protect Journalists |
| Publication Date | 31 December 2017 |
| Cite as | Committee to Protect Journalists, Journalists Imprisoned in 2017 - Anisur Rahman, 31 December 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a5c9448a.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Daily Sangbad | Imprisoned in Bangladesh | October 31, 2017
| Job: | Print reporter |
| Medium: | Internet, Print |
| Beats Covered: | Corruption |
| Gender: | Male |
| Local or Foreign: | Local |
| Freelance: | No |
| Charge: | Defamation |
| Length of Sentence: | Not Sentenced |
| Reported Health Problems: | No |
Anisur Rahman, the Raomari Upazila correspondent for the Daily Sangbad newspaper, was arrested on October 31, 2017, under Section 57 of Bangladesh's Information and Communication Technology Act, which covers online defamation.
Rahman was arrested for allegedly displaying a fake photo of the president and prime minister of Bangladesh on his cell phone, according to the Daily Star newspaper. Rahman allegedly took a screenshot of a Facebook post displaying the photo and showed it to a group of men at the Kattimari Bazar on September 8, according to the Daily Star, which reported that Shah Kamal Sarkar, a local politician who was among that group of men, filed the complaint against Rahman and the author of the Facebook post. Police have been unable to locate the author of the post, according to the Daily Star.
Julfikar Ali Manik, a freelance journalist investigating Rahman's case, told CPJ that Rahman had reported on land grabs implicating some members of the ruling Awami League party, including Sarkar, and that Sarkar was using this case as an opportunity to harass the journalist. Rahman was also party to one of the land disputes on which he reported, Manik said.
According to the Daily Star, while he was being taken to court Rahman claimed he had been implicated in the case because some of his reporting had been critical of local members of the Awami League.
Rahman was denied bail on November 9 and November 22.
