Arrest_and_torture Tasneem_Khalil

dhaka in bangladesh.

tasneem khalil taken custody 4 bangladeshi army security officers, wearing plain clothing, home in dhanmondi thana, dhaka, after midnight 11 may 2007. wife said officers came home , took husband without arrest warrant on account of state of emergency. while security force @ home, made thorough search , confiscated passport, computer , telephone equipment, , paper , electronic files used in journalism work. human rights watch believed detained human rights reporting , speaking out against interim government in bangladesh, , editor @ daily star said government had told him khalil s detention on account of blogging @ tasneemkhalil.com.

khalil not taken dhanmondi police station in area of city sangsad bhavan army camp , held there anti-corruption taskforce. during arrest blindfolded of time , beaten 3 batons. questioned blogging on tasneemkhalil.com. beaten because of article had written in forum magazine. told confess crimes of being anti-interim government , working cnn , human rights watch in other countries spy. khalil released in front of hotel sonogran within 22 hours of captivity, shortest time has been released directorate general of forces intelligence, , result of pressure release media outlets, press freedom organisations, , human rights organisations mobilised on behalf.

according brad adams @ human rights watch, tasneem khalil s prominence critical journalist may have prompted arrest, may have saved life. ordinary bangladeshis held security forces under emergency rules have no such protections.

context

tasneem khalil arrested under state of emergency bangladesh interim government had ordered in 2007 quell violence , last between time period bangladesh national party had surrendered control of government until elections, in bangladesh awami league won @ end of 2008. amnesty international quoted reports in bangladesh indicated around 100,000 people had been detained since interim government took control. khalil told had been arrested personal blogs had written bangladeshi security had deemed anti-bangladeshi. other journalists detained , tortured during time period. these journalists such noor ahmed , jahangir alam akash.

reactions

after tasneem khalil detention, wife contacted list of people had been told call , notify in case of emergency. organisations worked provided assistance publicising of blogger s network captivity , urging governments make inquiries khalil s situation. brad adams, asia director of human rights watch, said, extremely concerned tasneem khalil s safety. has been prominent voice in bangladesh human rights , rule of law, , has been threatened because of that. bangladeshi military should on notice actions being closely watched outside world.

the south asia media commission s coordinator husain naqi condemned detention of tasneem khalil: bangladeshi military should desist such arbitrary actions being closely watched outside world. harm khalil chip away @ army’s claims legitimacy , upholding rule of law. authorities should apologize , call halt pestering, indication of fragile state of press freedom in bangladesh. joel simon, executive director of committee protect journalists, said, apparent military arrest of such prominent , well-respected journalist tasneem khalil without stated cause indication of fragile state of press freedom in bangladesh.

after release in bangladesh , fleeing country, khalil documented experience in human rights watch report. human rights watch has called publication of torture of tasneem khalil (2008), focuses on above events, detailed public account of case of torture in bangladesh.