2007: Bangladesh: Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
28 March 2007
Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed
Honorable President & Chief of the Caretaker Government
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Banga Bhaban
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Dear Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed,
As Chair of the Norwegian Writers in Prison Committee I call for all charges against journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury to be dropped. Choudhury is on trial on sedition charges for his perceived association with Israel and his criticism of the spread of Islamist militancy in Bangladesh in his writings. His appeal will be heard by the Supreme Court on 28 March 2007.
We express our serious concerns for the safety of journalist Salah Uddin Choudhury, and call for him to be provided with immediate and effective police protection.
Norwegian PEN protest the charges against journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, and urges that they are dropped in accordance with Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Confident that you will take action accordingly, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Elisabet W. Middelthon
Chair Writers in Prison Committee, Norwegian PEN
Cc. Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Advisor, Caretaker Government
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Chief Advisor’s Office, Old Sangshad Bhaban
Tejgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Fax: 880-2-8113243 & 880-2-8111490
Copies to:
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bangladesh’ Embassy in Stockholm
Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka
