A Thought Provoking News
Reform ICT Act to stop jail for facebook messages
It is deeply worrisome that two internet users, both HSC students at Chittagong College have been sent to jail after their bail petitions were rejected following their arrest for having insulting comments “found in their message inbox of their facebook accounts.’’
A further accused, is still being pursued via indictments under the ICT Act, for the comments concerned which were not even published, but were merely found in their Facebook inboxes.
These arrests are a flagrant violation of individual rights to privacy and undermine freedom of speech. The defence counsel of the arrestees has said that none of them had publicly written or distributed any prohibited material.
We have previously condemned those draconian provisions of the ICT Act, enacted first by BNP in 2006 and amended by AL in 2013, for the unreasonable powers they provide over citizens.
Individuals should not be punished for merely holding or expressing sentiments which offend certain sensibilities. The arrests of these young bloggers for messages found in their inboxes merely confirms the oppressive nature of the law. It also further raises fears the act can be indiscriminately used against dissenting voices.
Freedoms to express unpopular opinions are a cornerstone of democracy. Throwing people in jail for practicing that freedom undermines the things our government claims to value.
The government must take heed of justice and reform the draconian provisions of this legislation.
Jail for messages found in Facebook unreasonablelink:
http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2014/apr/06/reform-ict-act-stop-jail-facebook-messages
