32 detentions every month

Between April 2021 and February 2022, the number of people charged under the Digital Security Act (DSA) climbed to 147 per month on average, up from 61 per month on average between January 2020 and March 2021, according to the think tank Centre for Governance Studies (CGS).

The CGS, a governance and research platform have been tracking and documenting the cases filed under the draconian law since January 1, 2020.

They published a new report titled “The Unending Nightmare: Impacts of Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act 2018,” during a virtual programme on Saturday which revealed this latest data.

According to the data, 913 persons were charged in 426 cases between January 2020 and March 2021, and 273 of them were detained, with an average of 18 detentions per month.

During the next 11 months, however, 1,331 people were charged in 464 cases, and 609 people were detained, with an average of 67 detentions each month, according to the report.

According to the report, 2,244 people have been charged in 890 cases brought filed under the act in the 26 months leading up to February 2022, an average of more than 86 people per month.

The report added, that 842 persons were held, with an average of 32 every month.

Major findings

The study found that among those arrested under the draconian law, the number of journalists was disproportionately higher.

Out of the 842 detained, 59 were journalists, 80 politicians and 47 students.

Moreover, as many as 19 people below the age of 18 were charged in the 890 cases they have tracked so far, said CGS.

The study found that a majority of these cases are filed by ruling party activists for their leaders.

Of those, the CGS identified as belonging to political parties, 81% are associated with the Awami League and its affiliates while law enforcement agencies filed nearly 20% of the cases.

About DSA

The Digital Security Act 2018 (DSA) came into effect on October 1, 2018 after Parliament passed the law following the elimination of five controversial Sections--- 54, 55, 56, 57 and 66 --- of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act.

The DSA provides the government with absolute power to initiate investigations into anyone whose activities are considered a “threat” and gives law enforcement agencies the power to arrest without a warrant, simply on suspicion that a crime has been committed through using social media.

Since the DSA Act-2018 came into force, journalists, social and human activists, educators, members of civil society, diplomats and various international organizations have strongly objected to nine Sections- 8, 21, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 43 and 53 of the law, which they described as detrimental to freedom of speech.

They have asserted that these sections are unclear and many of their terms have not been defined properly.

Of the 20 provisions of the law that deal with offences and punishments, 14 are non-bailable. Five are bailable and one can be negotiated, with the lowest punishment being 1 year in prison and the highest a life term.