Free four imprisoned journalists, CPJ urges CA Yunus

The murder charges against them “lack credible evidence” and appear retaliatory, the press advocacy group says

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to release four journalists currently imprisoned in Bangladesh on what it claims are "baseless" murder charges.

The journalists are Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed, Mozammel Babu, and Shyamal Dutta.

In a letter sent by email on Monday, the press freedom group wrote that the accusations against the four “lack credible evidence and appear to be in retaliation for their reporting and perceived political affiliations”.

The letter also says the journalists' families’ reports about the conditions at Kashimpur Prison, where the four currently are being kept, raises “serious human rights concerns”.

“They are being held in tiny 36-square-foot (3.34 square metres) cells with metal bars instead of doors, leaving them exposed to cold weather and mosquito infestations. They sleep on the concrete floor, without mattresses, and food supplied by the prison is insufficient and often inedible. Medical care is severely inadequate: the prison has no permanent doctor, routine tests are unobtainable, and prisoners receive no medication unless supplied by their families. Those with serious health conditions — including cancer, diabetes, cardiac issues, and sleep apnea — have gone months without treatment,” it said.

The CPJ pointed to a November 2024 interview Yunus gave The Daily Star, in which he said that murder accusations had been “hastily filed” and the interim government had halted such actions and formed a committee to review the cases.

However, the organisation says the four journalists arrested have been repeatedly denied bail. It also noted that a lawyer representing some of the journalists – ZI Khan Panna – has also been accused of murder.

“Freedom of speech and expression are protected under Article 39 of Bangladesh’s constitution and in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bangladesh has acceded. The judiciary has also repeatedly recognized the critical role of an independent press in strengthening democratic institutions and accountability. Bangladesh authorities must uphold domestic and international human rights obligations,” the CPJ wrote.

“We urge you to mark International Human Rights Day by taking steps that would allow all journalists imprisoned in Bangladesh to return to their families and resume work. Real reform requires a decisive break from past practices, not replication of previous abuses. It is essential that all political parties respect journalists’ right to report freely as the country prepares to vote in February next year.”

The press advocacy group said that Yunus’s personal attention to the issue would “underscore Bangladesh’s commitment to humane governance, justice, and open public discourse.”