Cyber security act to hugely curb freedom of expression
Lawyers tell discussion
The proposed Cyber Security Act 2015 will significantly curb people's freedom of expression on the internet and keep them in fear, lawyers told a views exchange meeting yesterday.
If enacted, it will go down in history as a draconian law, they said.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said the existing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act 2006 had failed to stop organised attacks on minorities on multiple occasions, and it was applied to threaten so-called atheist bloggers.
Judging from how the ICT act was used, it is understandable that religious fanatics who spread hate speech on social media would never have to face this new law as well, he told the discussion organised at the capital's Jatiya Press Club under the banner of "Moulik Odhikar Shurakkha Committee".
Barrister Sara Hossain, however, said the bill had some commendable inclusions like prohibitions on child porn and spreading personal pictures online.
“But the scope of the law is limited to cyber space only. Crimes committed outside cyber space would remain beyond its purview,” she said.
Another SC lawyer, Asaduzzaman, said the draft included every “malicious and oppressive” element of the ICT act.
“It is clear that the aim of this bill is to keep people in fear. Rather than preventing online communalism, the act would be used to silence voices against the ruling party.”
Citing Article 24 of the bill, Executive Director of Law Life Culture Rezaur Rahman said its sweeping scope violated freedom of expression and could be used to purge virtually anything the government did not like.
He added that the draft raised serious concerns about unrestrained government access to private communications which would breach people's right to privacy.
Quoting Article 24, he also said it enabled broad government powers of censorship, including authorising blocking or removing online content if it considered it “necessary in the interest state or the integrity, security or defence of Bangladesh or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court or commission of or incitement to an offence under this Act.”