UN rights body says studying text of Cyber Security Bill closely

The UN human rights body has said they are studying closely the new Cyber Security law which has been presented to Parliament to replace the problematic Digital Security Act. 

"The new law will replace imprisonment with fines and increase the scope for bail for several offences," said spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday.

In a briefing in Geneva, she said it is very important that Parliament address the remaining concerns to prevent any further arbitrary use of the law to suppress freedom of expression.

The rights body said they are "very concerned by the continued intimidation and harassment" of human rights advocates and civil society leaders through legal proceedings in Bangladesh, including Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, known for his work on poverty alleviation through Grameen Bank.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk calls on the Bangladesh authorities to create a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders and other civil society representatives to carry out their essential work for the welfare and protection of all people in Bangladesh.

The legal harassment of civil society leaders, human rights defenders and other dissenting voices, is a worrying sign for civic and democratic space in Bangladesh, said the Spokesperson.

These cases also represent an important test for the independence of the judiciary in Bangladesh, she said.

The High Commissioner urged the judicial authorities to ensure the most rigorous review in these cases to ensure that rights to due process and fair trial are strictly and consistently applied.