Bangladesh: CFWIJ demands justice for Rozina Islam, all groundless charges must be dismissed immediately

September 15, 2021 – Rozina Islam, the award-winner investigative journalist, appeared in court to defend herself on a baseless criminal charge for which she faces up to 14 years in prison. Today’s hearing, her accreditation, passport and mobile phone remain in state custody. The court requested hear investigative officer decide the return of her belongings and postponed the next hearing to September 19, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) considers this adjournment as an attempt to silence the journalist. We demand Bangladeshi authorities drop all charges against Rozina immediately. A journalist should not be punished for reporting on matters of public interest. 

Rozina Islam is facing charges of theft and espionage under the Official Secrets Act of 1923, a notorious law dating back to 1923, which prohibits access to confidential information. Today she appeared in court for the first time to defend herself. The journalist asked the court to return her accreditation card, her passport and her mobile phone. However, the court summoned the investigative officer of the case for the next hearing. The court will issue a verdict to return Rozina's belongings after the next hearing which will be held on September 19, 2021.

The journalist was arrested after spending almost five hours in confinement at the Ministry of Health in Dhaka on May 17, 2021. Rozina was kept in custody for seven days after her arrest without further clarification of the reason behind refusing bail. 

Rozina reported in several reports that exposed the Health Ministry’s mishandling of the pandemic before her arrest. The journalist covered an alleged graft at the ministry, the corruption in the doctors’ recruitment process, and how they urgently needed medical equipment for coronavirus treatment that was left at Dhaka airport for months.

After her release, the persecution against her never ended. The state authorities continued targeting Rozina. The Financial Intelligence Unit authorities contacted all of the registered banks in Bangladesh for her account details in August. The letter asked the banks to release the transaction details of any account affiliated with Rozina. 

The CFWIJ launched a joint statement together with 23 international press organizations to bring justice to Rozina. Rozina’s case is an example of the media crackdown in Bangladesh against independent media. Therefore, her baseless charges must be dropped immediately. We also urge the country's health ministry officials to review the matter and the origin of the allegations against her. We stand in solidarity with Rozina and hope justice will be served immediately.