Bangladesh journalists Farzana Rupa, Mozammel Babu: Amnesty demands release
Synopsis
Two Bangladeshi TV journalists face charges at a war crimes tribunal over a report aired more than a decade ago — and both Amnesty International and the CPJ are calling it a direct assault on press freedom. The case exposes how Bangladesh's reconstituted ICT, originally built to deliver post-liberation justice, is now being used in ways that alarm the international human rights community.
Key Takeaways
Amnesty International on 22 May demanded Bangladesh drop all charges against Ekattor TV journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu .
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ordered their arrest on 14 May over a report on the 2013 Shapla Square crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam protesters.
The bench set 7 June as the deadline for the investigation report; former minister Dipu Moni is also named in the case.
Smriti Singh , Amnesty's South Asia Regional Director, called the arrest 'an affront to fundamental principles of press freedom.' The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had separately urged authorities to stop 'weaponising' the ICT against journalists.
The ICT was reconstituted after the August 2024 political transition; Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 .
Amnesty International on Friday, 22 May called on Bangladeshi authorities to drop all charges against Ekattor TV journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu, alleging they were targeted solely for their work as media professionals. The appeal follows an International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) order on 14 May that directed the two journalists — along with former minister Dipu Moni — to be shown arrested in a case linked to coverage of the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam crackdown at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka.
The ICT Order and Charges
The bench, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, sent the accused to judicial custody and set 7 June as the deadline for submission of the investigation report. The charges reportedly relate to a report aired by Ekattor TV that authorities have described as 'misleading' in its coverage of the deadly crackdown on protesters at Shapla Square in May 2013 — a broadcast made more than a decade ago.
What Amnesty International Said
Smriti Singh, South Asia Regional Director of Amnesty International, said in a statement: 'Freedom of expression extends to information which some may find offensive, shocking or disturbing. Respect for this right is essential to ensuring healthy public discourse in a rights-respecting society.' Singh stressed that journalists must not be targeted for opinions that are disagreeable or for their perceived links to political parties.
She described the arrest as 'an affront to fundamental principles of press freedom,' warning that it 'sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the right of all journalists to report without fear of retaliation.' Singh also noted that the ICT itself has faced serious criticism over fair trial and due process concerns, as well as for handing down the death penalty — a punishment Amnesty International opposes in all cases.
CPJ Also Raises Alarm
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had, a week earlier, urged Bangladeshi authorities to stop 'weaponising' the ICT to target journalists and to immediately release Farzana and Mozammel. The two journalists were already in detention at the time the new charges were framed, compounding concerns about prolonged pre-trial custody.
Background: The ICT's Reconstitution
The ICT was originally established in 2010 under the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government to prosecute crimes committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Following the political transition of August 2024, the tribunal was reconstituted under the interim government formerly led by Muhammad Yunus, with its mandate expanded to prosecute figures associated with the Awami League administration. Hasina herself was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025.
Critics argue that the tribunal's expanded use against journalists and political opponents risks undermining the rule of law and press freedom in Bangladesh. With the investigation report due on 7 June, international scrutiny of the proceedings is expected to intensify.
Point of View
But its expanding reach into media and political opponents is drawing the kind of international condemnation that carries real diplomatic cost. The ICT's record on due process and its use of the death penalty were already under scrutiny; adding press freedom violations to that list will make it harder for Dhaka to present the tribunal as a credible institution. The deeper question is whether the interim administration's consolidation of power through legal instruments will outlast its democratic mandate — and who will be next in the dock.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu arrested in Bangladesh?
They were ordered arrested by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on 14 May in connection with a report aired by Ekattor TV on the 2013 crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam protesters at Shapla Square in Dhaka. Authorities reportedly described the broadcast as 'misleading,' though the report was aired more than a decade ago.
What has Amnesty International said about the case?
Amnesty International called on Bangladeshi authorities to drop all charges against the two journalists, arguing they were targeted for their work. South Asia Regional Director Smriti Singh said the arrest 'sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the right of all journalists to report without fear of retaliation.'
What is the International Crimes Tribunal and why is it controversial?
The ICT was established in 2010 to prosecute crimes committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. After the political transition of August 2024, it was reconstituted and its mandate expanded to target figures linked to the Awami League government. Critics, including Amnesty International, have raised serious concerns about fair trial standards, due process, and its use of the death penalty.
What is the Committee to Protect Journalists' position on this case?
The CPJ urged Bangladeshi authorities to immediately release Farzana and Mozammel and to stop 'weaponising' the ICT against journalists. The appeal was made a week before Amnesty International issued its own statement on 22 May.
What happens next in the case?
The ICT bench has set 7 June as the date for submission of the investigation report. Both journalists remain in detention, and international rights organisations are expected to maintain pressure on Bangladeshi authorities ahead of that hearing.
