Digital Security Act


Digital Security Act is a digital security law in Bangladesh. It is a controversial law that has been described as draconian. It was feared that the law could be use to suppress dissenters against the government. The law has been used to sue and arrest journalists.

History

Digital Security Act was adopted in October 2018. The provision passed the Parliament of Bangladesh in September 2018. The act was controversial as it would allow police officers to detain people without a warrant. The act was opposed by members of the media, the opposition Jatiya Party, and human rights organizations. The act was created using Section 57 of Information and Communication Technology Act, which was passed in 2006, as the model. The act was protested by the Editors' Council. The Daily Star has been critical of the application of the act, describing it as a gag on the free press.

Cases

According to Article 19, the act violates human rights and threatens freedom of speech in Bangladesh. According to Amnesty International the act places "dangerous restrictions on freedom of expression". It believed the act will be used against dissidents, similar to the way Information and Communication Technology Act was used to detains hundreds of people. The act has been criticized by the United States as something that could be used to suppress free speech. Bangladesh Nationalist Party has called for the act to be repealed.