Amnesty Int'l for release of Rasraj

Amnesty International yesterday called for immediate action to release Rasraj Das who was arrested over the attack on Hindus in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar upazila on October 30 last year.

The rights group in a statement called upon people to write to the Bangladesh government demanding his release from “unlawful detention”.

Police picked up Rasraj on October 29, a day after a photo was uploaded on his Facebook wall. The youth, a fisherman who hardly received any formal education, was shown arrested under the ICT Act.

Mobs, including religious zealots and local goons, vandalised and looted over 100 houses and 15 temples in five Hindu villages in Nasirnagar on October 30.

The ICT Act stipulates that an individual would face up to 14 years in jail for “publishing fake, obscene or defaming information in electronic form” or information which “prejudices the image of the State or person.”

Amnesty said the law is often used by the Bangladeshi authorities to target, harass and imprison government critics.

“On 28 November, a public report by the district police stated that the image had not been uploaded by Rasraj Das, but that someone else had used his Facebook account,” added the rights watchdog.

Even the district police stated that someone else had used Rasraj's Facebook account, said the statement.

“A separate report by the National Human Rights Commission also cleared Rasraj Das of posting the image. Despite this, the charge against Rasraj Das has not been dropped and he remains detained in Brahmanbaria District Jail.”

According to the statement, the arrestee's family is seriously concerned about his well-being in prison, although according to his lawyer he has not suffered torture or other ill-treatment.

His next bail hearing is scheduled for Monday.