Published : 04 Oct 2026, 04:04 PM
Updated : 04 Oct 2026, 04:04 PM
Journalists Shyamol Dutta, Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa have been accused before the International Crimes Tribunal on specific allegations of “spreading false information, distorting events and inciting crimes” during the July Uprising, Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim has said.
Responding to questions from journalists about why media professionals such as Dutta, Babu and Rupa were named as suspects, Tamim said their professions had not been considered in the decision.
“Those against whom the investigation found prima facie evidence of crimes against humanity have been charged. They have not appeared here as journalists,” he said.
As an example, Tamim referred to a former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, saying he was made an accused not as a chief justice but as a citizen for allegedly violating the law.
Describing the context of the July Uprising, Tamim said that while killings were taking place across the country, a group of journalists had met the then prime minister and expressed support for her to continue her actions.
He also alleged that the media had spread false information instead of accurate news at the time, misleading people.
However, Tamim said journalists had not been accused indiscriminately.
He claimed the prosecution had evidence that the then government had forced journalists to publish false reports.
“We are only naming as suspects those journalists who, out of excessive enthusiasm, spread false information, misrepresented an incident to people or incited the commission of a crime through news reports,” he said.
Regarding the trial process, Tamim said the journalists were only being sent to face trial and would have the opportunity to appoint lawyers and contest the charges.
“If the charges are proved at trial, they will be punished, and if they are not proved, they will be acquitted. They have the opportunity to receive justice,” he said.
Sent to Jail after Being Shown Arrested
On Aug 24, 2026, International Crimes Tribunal-2 ordered journalists Dutta, Babu and Rupa to be shown arrested and sent to jail in a case over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 uprising.
The tribunal set Oct 25 for submission of the investigation report.
The order was issued by a two-member bench led by Judge Md Manzurul Bashid. Judge Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir was the other member of the bench.
The three journalists are Dutta, former general secretary of the National Press Club and editor of Bhorer Kagoj; Babu, former chief editor of Ekattor Television; and Rupa, former chief reporter of the same television station.
During the hearing, the prosecution sought orders to show the three journalists arrested in the case and send them to jail. It also sought two months to submit the investigation report.
Prosecution's Allegations
At a hearing on Aug 17, Prosecutor Faruque Ahmed said Dutta, Babu and Rupa had made provocative statements about the quota reform movement at a news conference held by then prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Jul 14, 2024, and afterwards.
The prosecution also alleged that they had played a role in creating a “counter-narrative” against the student movement.
According to the prosecution, evidence of their involvement was found during the investigation into the crimes against humanity case.
Following the prosecution's application, the tribunal issued warrants on Aug 17 for the three journalists to be produced before it. They were subsequently brought before the tribunal.
The three journalists had already been in jail after being arrested in separate cases.
Rupa was detained at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Aug 21, 2024, while she was travelling to France. Her husband, journalist Shakil Ahmed, was also detained at the time. They were later shown arrested in a murder case filed with Uttara East Police.
Meanwhile, locals detained Dutta and Babu at the Dhobaura border in Mymensingh early on Sept 16, 2024, while they were allegedly trying to travel to India, and handed them over to police.
