Rights body Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation on Wednesday condemned the arrest of Prothom Alo journalist Samsuzzaman Shams by a law enforcement agency from his Savar residence.
“Journalists have been playing an important role echoing the voice of the public as well as to inform the government and policy makers of their necessities. The detention of Prothom Alo journalist Samsuzzaman by plainclothes officers of the law enforcement agency is yet another attempt to suppress the voice of the journalists, which is unacceptable.”
The rights body also called on the authorities to inform the people about the whereabouts of the journalist and demanded his unconditional release.
The journalist was picked up from his residence in Ambagan area adjacent to Jahangirnagar University early Wednesday. It took hours for the authorities to briefly clarify that he was arrested involving a case under the Digital Security Act.
Auporbo Hasan, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police station, said Golam Kibria, a resident of the capital’s Mirpur area, filed the case accusing the journalist of publishing a fake and fabricated news on the country’s Independence Day.