28 arrested in DSA cases last month

At least 28 people were arrested under the Digital Security Act across the country in May, and only one of them was not a BNP activist, according to a report by Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation.

In April, eight people, including a journalist, a teen, and a BNP activist, were arrested in seven cases filed under the act, said the report signed by its founding president Sultana Kamal.

The report released yesterday was based on reports published by 18 media outlets. The news reports were verified by rights activists, it said.

The rights body strongly condemns the government's failure to address the violations of human rights.

According to the report, the misuse of the DSA persisted in May when six of the DSA cases were filed for "tarnishing the images" of either the country or Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, high-ranking government officials and members of the ruling party on social media.

Two DSA cases were filed in Faridpur and Rajbari, against BNP activists and leaders.

Besides, a Narayanganj court issued an arrest warrant for a journalist for publishing an article about Narayanganj-4 MP AKM Shamim Osman.

The DSA is being abused to keep people from expressing their opinions and to intimidate and silence them, it said, adding that at least 45 journalists were humiliated, harassed, and tortured in May.

According to the report, 545 political activists were injured during 35 political events and in electoral violence.

At least 24 cases filed against BNP men led to the arrest and imprisonment of 565 leaders and activists.

However, the BNP has claimed that between May 19 and May 24, at least 650 of its leaders and activists were arrested across the country and 148 cases were filed against 5,000 BNP men.

Meanwhile, violence against women and children continues to rise as 457 cases of violence against women and children were filed in May. Ninety-three of those were rape cases.

There have been seven incidents of persecution of religious and ethnic minorities at various levels, it adds.

At least 11 people died in prison in May.