The Amnesty International on Thursday urged the interim government of Bangladesh to repeal or amend the Cyber Security Act 2023.
鈥楾he CSA, which is seen as a continuation of repressive legislation in the country, has been used to initiate crackdowns on civic space and human rights, particularly during protests and dissenting voices,鈥� said the organization in a briefing.
Amnesty International briefing highlighted the misuse of the act to target journalists, human rights defenders, and dissidents.
The act has been criticised for replicating the repressive provisions of the Digital Security Act 2018 and the Information and Communications Technology Act 2006, despite assurances from the government that it would not be used in such a manner.
Taqbir Huda, regional researcher for South Asia at the Amnesty International, emphasises the need to end the long-standing legacy of quashing dissent and calls for the immediate release of those detained under repressive laws.
Cases have been filed under the 2023 act for simply criticising the government or posting satirical content on social media platforms, it said, adding that this crackdown on dissent has led to a climate of fear and self-censorship among journalists and activists in Bangladesh.
The briefing also sheds light on the similarities between the act and its predecessor, the DSA. The 2023 act retains many of the provisions of the DSA, with only minor changes or additions.
This continuity in repressive laws has raised concerns about the government鈥檚 commitment to upholding human rights and international treaties.
The CSA鈥檚 unchecked powers give authorities the ability to arrest, search, and detain individuals without proper safeguards, leading to arbitrary censorship and suppression of dissenting voices.
In September 2023, the Cyber Security Act replaced the controversial DSA, which was systematically used to clamp down on peaceful dissent and silence critical opinions.