By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Noor Ahmed of the daily Sylhet Protidin was tortured several times by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) while being held in custody last year. Ahmed was arrested at the same time as two other journalists, Sajol Daash and Apurbo Sharma. All were arrested for the same charges.

RAB arrested Ahmed in April 2007, blindfolding him and throwing him into the back of a truck. Upon his release on bail in September 2007, Ahmed told local rights groups that he was tortured and threatened because he was investigating allegations that the police chief of RAB was taking bribes in the northeastern city of Sylhet. Ahmed thought his arrest was intended to intimidate other journalists out of publishing similar reports.

Ahmed told rights groups that he was subject to mental and physical torture while in RAB custody where he was beaten on the leg by a stick for 20 minutes and then beaten again when he denied involvement on an extortion case. RAB also threatened Ahmed with the possibility of imprisonment again if he did not close down his newspaper when he returned to journalism after he was released. After being tortured for a night, Ahmed was forced to sign a paper which he was unable to read.

Ahmed’s case is similar to Tasneem Khalil and Jahangir Alam Akash, who were also arrested and tortured by RAB in 2007. RAB is a Bangladesh security force established in 2004 to combat specialized crime, Islamic militants, and Maoist rebels. Human rights groups have accused RAB of hundreds of extrajudicial killings.

International human rights group, Reporters Without Borders, said “It is appalling that local officials, including those responsible for law and order, can attack journalists with complete impunity,” and demanded justice on the perpetrators that tortured and intimidated Ahmed.

For more information, please see:

APF – Media Watchdog Demands Bangladesh Torture Probe – 11 October 2008

RSF – Government Challenged Over Torture of Editor in Sylhet – 10 October 2008

UNHCR – Government Challenged Over Torture of Editor in Sylhet– 10 October 2008