APMAA condemns attack on journalists and artists

The Asia Pacific Masters Alumni Association (APMAA) condemns attacks on journalists and artists and urges the government to take measures to protect the freedom of expression. 

A media release received on Tuesday also compelled the government to take several measures in light of the present situation. 

"The Asia Pacific Masters Alumni Association (APMAA) strongly condemns the brutal attack on the Prothom Alo and the Daily Star media offices in Bangladesh. We condemn the arrest of Journalist Anis Alamgir, Baul Singer Abul Sarkar, along with the attacks, threats, and harassment of 1,073 journalists, and rising violence against shrines, singers, and women in the last year, after the July Uprising in Bangladesh," the release states. 

"We urge the Government of Bangladesh to take meaningful measures to protect freedom of expression,  immediately release arbitrarily arrested individuals, stop harassment through state and non-state actors, and stop the weaponization of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 in Bangladesh to silence any critique of the government and its allies.".

At least 1,073 journalists and media workers were subjected to attacks, lawsuits, killings, threats, harassment, detention, and job loss in 476 separate incidents between 5 August 2024, following the July uprising, and 1 November 2025, according to Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the APMAA release added. 

By November 2025, at least 18 journalists have been arrested. These are clear violations of articles 9, 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Bangladesh ratified in 2000, and the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Journalists & Human Rights Defenders.  

According to Bangladesh ratified Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), article 2,3, and 7, UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, ICCPR Article 2, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, the state is responsible for protecting the minorities, women, and journalists under attack, APMAA mentions. 

The spirit of the July Uprising 2024 embodies youth-led defiance, demands for democracy and justice, dismantling discrimination, and national hope for a corruption-free, merit-based nation-building. Regrettably, it has been observed that the interim government led by Dr Yunus has failed to stop attacks, protect freedom of expression, and protect the minorities.

Lastly, APMAA urged the interim Government of Bangladesh to:

- Immediately release all the individuals arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression.

- Protect media and cultural institutions from violence and intimidation.

- Stop the misuse of the Anti-Terrorist Act 2009 to silence the voices of journalists, singers, online activists, and critics.

- Hold perpetrators of mob attacks accountable.

- Uphold Bangladesh's constitutional and international human rights obligations, including the ICCPR and CEDAW.

APMAA is an alumni network of human rights scholars and activists and a member of the Global Campus of Human Rights, committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and democratic values worldwide.