CGS and Clooney Foundation Call for Revision of Proposed Cyber Security Law Amendments
The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) have called for the proposed amendments to the cyber security law to be revised. The two organisations made the call in a joint press statement on Saturday (14 November).
The organisations say the proposed amendments attempt to bring back controversial provisions of the Digital Security Act, which could silence journalists and shrink freedom of expression.
The joint statement says the proposed law keeps a provision of up to 10 years' imprisonment for publishing rumours and misleading information, and up to five years' imprisonment on charges of online defamation.
It also notes provisions for arrest without a warrant, increased criminal liability for editors and news organisations, and the scope to shut down an organisation if it is convicted.
The statement adds that the TrialWatch programme of CGS and CFJ reviewed 222 cases filed against journalists under the Digital Security Act between 2018 and 2023. A total of 396 journalists were accused in those cases.
The review found that in more than half of the cases, journalists were arrested and detained before the trial began. Trials in most of the cases have not even started.
CGS President Zillur Rahman said that of the 222 cases filed against journalists under the Digital Security Act, only one resulted in a conviction, yet nearly 400 journalists had to face criminal proceedings. In his view, the new amendments create a risk of bringing back the controversial provisions of the old law.
In their joint letter, the two organisations called for dropping the proposal to treat the spreading of rumours and misleading information as a criminal offence, and for removing the provision of imprisonment for defamation. They also demanded special protections, including taking court approval before arresting journalists and seizing their devices.
Maneka Khanna, a senior lawyer at the Clooney Foundation for Justice, said journalists should not face criminal charges for publishing news and criticism in the public interest. The law must protect journalists' right to publish news freely.
