ARTICLE 19, a human rights organization based in the UK, has called for the creation of concerted and effective national mechanisms in Bangladesh to ensure the accountability in implementing the recommendations of the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The rights body promoting freedom of expression and the protection of journalists around the world has also called for specific progress to be made public in the implementation of the commitments made by the Bangladesh government four years back to improve the human rights situation. The government of Bangladesh during its third UPR at the 39th session of the UNHRC in Geneva on 20 September 2018 accepted 178 recommendations from other UN member-states, of which at least 25 recommendations were related to strengthening the protection of freedom of expression, said ARTICLE 19 on Tuesday. Read: National plan of action needed to counter hate speech: ARTICLE 19 The government will have to submit a national report on implementation progress and existing impediments in June and participate in the review in November of the next year, it said. Faruq Faisel, regional director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia, said during the 39th session of the UNHRC on UPR, a high level of concern was raised about the potential misuse and abuse of the proposed Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018.  The government has informed the visiting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet that the committee submitted a report on the matter, he said, adding that “ARTICLE 19 demands that this report to be made public and the repressive sections identified in the law to be repealed immediately.’’

ARTICLE 19, the UK-based human rights organization, and German leading media development organization DW Akademie have jointly launched an online course titled ‘Misinformation and Fact-checking: Media Information Literacy’. Registration of the course is now open. The five-week course, offered in Bangla, will begin on August 1, said a media release on Monday. Also read: ARTICLE 19 to support troubled journalists, activists in Bangladesh Anyone on desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone can do the course at their convenience if they have internet connection only. One has to go to the link https://banglatutorial-media.org/ to register for the course.  Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an accomplishment certificate from DW Akademie and ARTICLE 19.

ARTICLE 19, the UK based human rights organization, has expressed deep concern over the Sri Lankan government “crackdown” on journalists, freedom of expression, right to protest, which are shrinking civic space and undermine democracy by the name of ‘ emergency regulations for public security’. Human rights of the citizens are being violated systematically in the country at extreme level, said the rights body on Friday. From March 31, 2022, in Sri Lanka, access to social media was cut off, many journalists have been harassed and attacked by police, and at least nine have been injured while threatening to newspaper editors, individual bloggers, dissents, protesters have continued, said ARTICLE 19. Read: National plan of action needed to counter hate speech: ARTICLE 19 In a statement issued to the media on Friday, Faruq Faisel, the Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 South Asia, said the use of armed forces to repress people’s protests on the very first day of newly elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe is unacceptable and will have chilling effect on democracy, freedom of expression, and civic space in Sri Lanka. “Sri Lankan government should respect people’s rights to protest and freedom of expression online and offline. New president should not repeat the mistakes of his predecessors. He must ensure that any measures taken should be legitimate, proportionate, necessary and compatible with international human rights standards,” he said. ARTICLE 19 called on the Sri Lankan government to act with responsibility to ensure the core values of democracy, the basic fundamental rights of the people aligning with the international human rights norms and practices.

ARTICLE 19, the UK-based human rights organization with an emphasis on free speech, has urged the Bangladesh government to develop and implement a national plan of action to counter hate speech.Kenya recently became the first country in the world to declare a national plan of action for the purpose.ARTICLE 19 also sees the need to step up efforts of the Bangladesh government and other concerned stakeholders to promote inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue and tolerance that counters hate speech.Read: ARTICLE 19 to support troubled journalists, activists in Bangladesh The rights-based organization raised the issue on the eve of the UN's “International Day for Countering Hate Speech”, which will be marked for the first time on June 18.Faruq Faisel, South Asia Regional Director of ARTICLE 19, said the exponential spread and proliferation of hate speech is becoming a deep concern in Bangladesh and around the world."Although hate speech is not a new phenomenon, the scale and impacts of hate speech have amplified due to the advent of new technologies and online communication. In Bangladesh, physical and verbal attacks against religious and ethnic minorities are on the rise due to the influence of hate speech, especially online,” said Faisel.ARTICLE 19 called on the government and other concerned stakeholders to ensure that religions, beliefs and ethnicity are not used to violate human rights, and urges all, both the government and citizens to combat hate speech – which is a threat to human rights of the citizens of Bangladesh.

ARTICLE 19 has invited journalists and activists from Bangladesh to submit their applications to avail of assistance to be provided in three areas - legal, medical and alternative livelihoods. The human rights organization will provide support to journalists, human rights defenders (HRD) and social media activists who have been subjected to distress due to exercise of their right to freedom of expression and professional duties, said a media release on Tuesday. The rights body has requested eligible beneficiaries to submit their applications by June 30 and the applicants must be citizens of Bangladesh.

ARTICLE 19 has called on the authorities to ensure the safety of Hriday Mandal and his family after his release on bail, to reinstate him in service and to withdraw the case against him. The human rights organization focusing on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression expressed relief, as the Munshiganj additional district and sessions judge court today granted bail to detained science teacher Hriday Chandra Mondal of Binodpur Ram Kumar High School under Sadar Upazila in the district in a case filed over “hurting religious sentiment”. Earlier, Hriday was denied bail twice—once on March 23 and again on March 28. Also read: Hriday Mandal walks out of jailHe was arrested on March 22, 2022, for allegedly insulting religion after he discussed in the classroom the distinction between religion and science.Following the incident, the school authorities suspended him from his job as well. In a statement sent to the media on Sunday, Faruq Faisel, Regional Director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia, said the reason Hriday Mandal had to go to jail is very shocking. Also read: Hriday Mandal gets bail after 19 days in jail"This incident threatened the concept of academic freedom which included free thought, freedom of expression and dissent in educational institutions. This will create an atmosphere of fear in the minds of all teachers, and science-minded people in the country. At the same time, the reaction of the students to the incident shows that in the education system of the country, tolerance, reasoning, and respect for dissent are not given importance, which is essential for building an inclusive, knowledge-based, tolerant and democratic society. This suggests that the incident should be considered as a wakeup call.’’

A UK-based human rights organisation has raised concern over the "unsolved murder case" of journalist-couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. The two journalists were murdered brutally inside their apartment in the Raja Bazar area of Dhaka in front of their five-year-old son, Megh, on February 11, 2012. ARTICLE 19 that works for the freedom of expression and right to information (RTI), on Friday called for taking progressive steps to complete the investigation in the case and bring justice without any further delay. Read: Khulna: Rare surgery saves Indian worker's wrist “This unsolved case is a shameful example of the strong existence of a culture of impunity that questions the judiciary system of the country where the killers go free. It indicates the failure of the state in protecting the journalists and ensuring the security of the journalists of the country and bringing justice to any disorder," said Faruq Faisel, the regional director, ARTICLE 19. “No progress of investigation into this murder case clearly threatens the safety of journalists, challenges the state’s protection mechanism and evidentially letting the perpetrators go free makes the government unaccountable,” he added.

ARTICLE 19, a UK-based international human rights organization, has congratulated Daily Prothom Alo journalist Rozina Islam on receiving the 'Free Press Award-2021'. She won the award under the “Most Resilient Journalist 2021” category presented by Free Press Unlimited, an Amsterdam-based organization in the Netherlands. Read: ARTICLE 19 lauds tax exemption move for 3rd gender citizens in proposed budget In a press statement on Wednesday, Faruq Faisel, Regional Director for Bangladesh and South Asia of ARTICLE 19, said: “On behalf of ARTICLE 19, I would like to felicitate Rozina Islam to get 'Free Press Award-2021' under the “Most Resilient Journalist 2021” category.” Attacks, lawsuits, torture and harassment of journalists and free-thinking people are on the rise and this award is recognition of Rozina Islam for continuing journalism with honesty and courage, said Faisel. Rozina Islam was detained in the Ministry of Health for five hours on May 17, 2021 while performing her professional duties. Faruq Faisel said free media and courageous journalism ensure accountability in society. Read:Include digital literacy programmes in the school curriculum: ARTICLE 19 “Rozina Islam carrying out investigative journalism amid hostility, which is highly commendable. As Rozina Islam's passport was confiscated, she was unable to attend the awards ceremony in The Hague, Netherlands, which is a great shame”. ARTICLE 19 called on the government to withdraw the case against Rozina and demanded the return of her passport, mobile phone and accreditation card.

More than 50 civil society and journalists’ organisations, including ARTICLE 19, have urged the G7 countries to ensure the protection and subsequent evacuation of all media personnel from war-ravaged Afghanistan. The group of leading industrial nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU) -- is preparing to hold an online summit on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.  Read: Evacuation flights resume in Kabul after deadly bombings Ahead of this summit, the rights bodies operating at the international level, in a joint letter, have asked the G7 countries to make a clear and explicit commitment to taking journalists as an urgent priority, ensure their protection and evacuate them and their families from Afghanistan. Faruq Faisel, the Regional Director for ARTICLE 19 South Asia, in a separate statement said, “ARTICLE 19 expresses solidarity with Afghan citizens, millions of whom are now living in abject fear." ARTICLE 19 is committed to working with partners to support journalists and media workers, human rights defenders and women’s rights activists, academics, writers, artists and educators, all of whom are at serious and immediate risk of targeted violence at the hands of the Taliban. “G7 members must increase their current support for those journalists and media workers at risk... and pay particular attention to the situation of women with immediate priority. Read: What's happening with Afghanistan evacuations? "G7 governments must ease visa restrictions for these people and their families seeking asylum as well as simplify and secure the process for visa application, and collaborate with third countries when possible," Faisel said. ARTICLE 19 also urged the international community to ensure the continuation of the negotiations for a government based on the participation of all parties in Afghanistan and hold the Taliban accountable to its responsibilities to respect international human rights law.

ARTICLE 19 (A19) Bangladesh and South Asia, a UK-based human rights organization, has appreciated the government’s initiative of special tax exemptions for the third gender citizens in the proposed budget for FY2021-22.  Such initiative will help mainstream third gender people by increasing their employment opportunity, living standard with dignity and socioeconomic security, A19 said in a media release on Monday. Read Include digital literacy programmes in the school curriculum: ARTICLE 19 The organisation said this initiative will enable them to play a progressive role in the country's economy and development.  A19 welcomed the intention of increasing the tax-free income limit for third gender people and said such additions will remove the stereotype mind-set gradually from society.  The organisation said the society will consider them, as well as sex-binary people as part of the gross development of the country without considering their gender identity. Also read: G-7 back steps to deter tax dodging by multinational firms Faruq Faisel, Regional Director of ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh and South Asia, said the budget has proposed special incentives to the private sector if they increase employment opportunity for the third gender population. “This initiative will increase employment opportunity for third gender persons in the private sector and change the social attitude towards them. Besides, these marginalized people will contribute to the productivity growth in the country and improve their living standard simultaneously," said Faisel. Read Irene Khan greeted as she resumes her new role from Aug 1