It’s to prevent cybercrimes, not to curtail press freedom
Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday claimed that the Digital Security Act was formulated in order to prevent cybercrimes, not to curtail the freedom of press and expression.
He was speaking at a press briefing after a meeting with a five-member delegation led by Eamon Gilmore, human rights affairs special representative of the EU, at his residential office in the capital’s Gulshan.
“I categorically told them (a delegation of European Union) that the Digital Security Act-2018 was formulated for cyber security and to prevent cybercrimes. This law was not made to curb the freedom of press and freedom of speech,” he said.
Anisul Huq also said BNP chief Khaleda Zia has been serving in jail as the trial court and the High Court convicted and sentenced her for misappropriating orphans’ money. The government has nothing to do with her release, he added.
Anisul said he conveyed the government’s stance on the Rohingya issue to the EU delegation.
The government strongly wants Rohingyas to return to Myanmar, he said.
He said he requested the EU delegation to discuss it with the Myanmar government as they will go to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingyas today and then they will go to Myanmar.
The law minister said he informed the delegation of the government’s desire for quick disposal of the Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case, and discussed issues like the Bepza Act, children’s rights law and extrajudicial killings.
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