PFUJ calls for end to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 5 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
The first five days of May have seen the arrest of five journalists in Bangladesh under the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) over their news articles and Facebook posts.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses its serious concern over the arrests and urges the authorities to release the journalists and drop all charges against them immediately.
On May 5, editor of Haorancholer Katha and district correspondent of SATV, Mohammad Mahtab Uddin Talukder, was arrested at his residence over his Facebook post that allegedly spread false information about Member of Parliament (MP), Mouzzam Hossain Ratan.
According to Dhaka Tribune, the complaint filed against Mahtab was made citing his Facebook post that reportedly harmed the reputation of the MP, who was questioned earlier this year about his involvement in the embezzlement of government money.
The arrest of Mahtab comes only days after Shafiqul Islam Kajol, editor of Pakkhakal Shafiqul magazine, was arrested on World Press Freedom Day, as was previously reported by the IFJ.
On May 1, Dainik Grameen Darpan’s News Editor Ramzan Ali Pramanik, Staff Reporter Shanta Banik and publisher and editor of online news portal Narsingdi Pratidin, Khandaker Shahin, were arrested over their news report that allegedly quoted a police official who claims that he had never spoken to the journalists, implying that the quotes were fabricated. The news report covered the incident of a young man who was allegedly beaten to death by the Ghorashal police.
More than 1,000 cases, mostly against Facebook users, have been filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) since 2018. The High Court, on February 24, 2020, issued an order asking the government to declare some of its provisions unconstitutional. The controversial Digital Security Act was enacted in September 2018.
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) said: “We strongly condemn the attack on freedom of press and freedom of expression under the DSA. We protest against the arrest of the journalist.”
IFJ said: “IFJ calls on the Bangladesh government to withdraw the cases against all five journalists to ensure that the government supports the spirit of freedom of expression and freedom of the press. IFJ is against any efforts that control the online space, criminalizes journalism and violates freedom of expression. IFJ reiterates its call to amend the controversial provisions in the act.”—IFJ media release
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
October 30, 2025: NewsOne TV remains on air but faces mass layoffs and delayed salaries, exposing Pakistan’s worsening media crisis and financial instability.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.
October 31, 2025 Radio Free Asia, a US government-funded broadcaster covering tightly controlled Asian media environments, has suspended all news operations after federal funding dried up.