Bangladeshi Journalist Rozina Islam Arrested Under Official Secrets Act: Reports

Journalist Rozina Islam has been arrested in Bangladesh and charged under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly taking photographs of official documents, reports said Tuesday. A case against the senior correspondent for the daily Prothom Alo was filed Monday night after a complaint by the Health Ministry, as per the publication.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has raised concerns over Islam's arrest and has called on authorities for her immediate release. She was being held at Shahbagh police station in the capital city of Dhaka. Recent updates say she has been shifted to the Kashimpur Women's Central Jail in Gazipur.

Charges brought against Islam fall under sections 3 and 5 of the OSA as well as sections 379 and 411 of the Bangladesh penal code, Prothom Alo reports. If convicted, the journalist could face prison time or even the death penalty. Concerns over an attack on freedom of the press are being raised, with many alleging the arrest of Islam, a vocal critic of health mismanagement in the country, is an attempt to suppress dissent against the government.

Why Was Rozina Islam Arrested? Here's What Happened

Reports from the Dhaka Tribune suggest Islam was at the Health Ministry in the capital on May 17, in pursuit of her coverage of alleged corruption in Bangladesh's health sector. Sajjad Sharif, managing editor of Prothom Alo, told CPJ Islam was detained at the ministry for over five hours. Her health deteriorated there, some reports claim.

She was then taken into police custody, on the allegation that she was spotted in the office of the Health Services Division secretary's aide. The complaint claimed on being searched, photos of certain documents and files were found on her phone. Islam denied procuring said files.

"We are deeply alarmed that Bangladesh officials detained a journalist and filed a complaint under a draconian colonial-era law that carries ridiculously harsh penalties. Bangladesh police and authorities should recognise that Rozina Islam is a journalist whose work is a public service and should immediately drop the case against her and allow her to go free," CPJ's Aliya Iftikhar said.

The South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) network too is "deeply concerned at the harassment and arrest of senior journalist Rozina Islam in Dhaka, Bangladesh by the authorities." Journalists in Bangladesh, since Islam's arrest, have protested outside police buildings and are demanding the resignation of the country's health minister.