JOURNALISTS FARZANA RUPA & SHAKIL AHMED
Representing and supporting the 19 year old daughter of journalists Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed. Both journalists were arrested on August 21, 2024 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They have been arbitrarily detained for more than 18 months based on false charges of murder and other crimes following the July, 2024 uprising. They face a combined total of 17 cases that have cumulatively have been brought against them. They are detained as political prisoners under under extremely difficult circumstances normally reserved for persons who have been tried and convicted.
Their detention raises serious concerns regarding the protection of journalists against arbitrary detention or punishment for their professional work under both domestic international human rights law. Bangladesh’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and press freedom (Article 39), due process and equal protection of the law (Article 31), protection of personal liberty (Article 32), and safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention (Article 33). Internationally, Bangladesh is bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects freedom of expression and freedom from arbitrary detention, as well as by the Convention Against Torture and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In January 2025, a complaint was submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression. In March 2025, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, together with the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression and the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, issued a statement expressing concern about their cases. The experts noted:
“It is notably concerning that journalists have been accused of charges of the utmost seriousness, reportedly including murder and inciting murder, and put under provisional detention without reportedly having had any evidence of their direct participation in such acts presented. We are concerned that the arrest and detention of Ms. Rupa and Mr. Ahmed may be directly linked to their work as journalists and their exercise of the right to freedom of expression.”
The Working Group is expected to review the complaints in August 2026.
After months of no progress, a major breakthrough came on May 11, when Farzana Rupa secured bail in six cases and Shakil Ahmed in five. One bail application for each remains pending, while bail petitions in the remaining cases are yet to be filed.
Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed are represented by their domestic lawyers in Bangladesh and internationally by the acclaimed human rights law firm Doughty Street Chambers. They are supported by various international press freedom and human rights organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters without Borders, Article 19 and Human Rights Watch.
Statements
Amnesty International South Asia Responding to the charges brought against detained Ekattor Television journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Haque by the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT):
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29771
Media
ICT Case
High Court Cases
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/crime-justice/news/journalists-held-without-trial-620-days-4166221
https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/299439/hc-grants-bail-to-shakil-in-5-cases-rupa-in-6
