Bangladesh
Al Jazeera Report Al Jazeera report: Court rejects sedition case against four
Dhaka, February 28: A court has rejected sedition case against four people, including Zulkarnain Sami and Tasnim Khalil, who were charged for publishing anti-state and anti-government reports on the Qatar-based television channel Al Jazeera.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shahidul Islam issued the order on Tuesday (February 23rd) after a legal hearing on the case. The judge said in the order that a review of the documents showed that the plaintiff had not been given any authority by the government to file the case. So the case was returned to the complainant.
Earlier on February 17, the case was filed in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ashek Imam by Bangabandhu Foundation President Abdul Malek alias Mashiur Malek. The next day, the court fixed February 23 for the order to accept the case.
The accused in the case are AJMN Director General Mostefa Souag, journalists David Bergman and Tasneem Khalil, and businessman Zulkarnian Saer Khan.
According to the statement of case, the accused, in collusion with each other, are involved in anti-state activities by carrying out anti-state activities by spreading propaganda in the international arena against the Bangladesh government and the state for the same purpose.
Together with their anonymous collaborators, they fabricated a report containing false information and on the night of February 1, they published an anti-Bangladesh and anti-government report called 'All the Prime Ministers Men'. The report was also widely circulated on YouTube. Which was published the next day in various printed and online magazines.
The case further states that the accused used only pictures of some private family events and interviews in a conspiratorial and purposeful manner without giving any specific and clear statement in the report and without presenting any data or documents. Also edits the voice to create a fictional fake, false and sorted documentary report. Through the misuse of information technology, Al Jazeera has spread propaganda all over the world through YouTube, including television. Which has tarnished the reputation of the Bangladesh government and the state at home and abroad.
