Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 07:21 PM IST

  World   South Asia  27 Dec 2017  Bangladesh police detain social media activist for defaming Islam

Bangladesh police detain social media activist for defaming Islam

AFP
Published : Dec 27, 2017, 6:40 pm IST
Updated : Dec 27, 2017, 6:40 pm IST

'The charge against him is that he hurt religious feeling by mocking Prophet Mohammed and made bad comments against Islam.’

Bangladesh police arrested a 25-year-old social media activist as he tried to leave the country on charges that he defamed Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, authorities said Tuesday. (Photo: Youtube screengrab)
 Bangladesh police arrested a 25-year-old social media activist as he tried to leave the country on charges that he defamed Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, authorities said Tuesday. (Photo: Youtube screengrab)

Dhaka: Immigration police detained Asaduzzaman Noor, known as Asad Noor on his YouTube channel, at Dhaka airport on Monday evening, inspector Mohammad Shahidullah said.

'The charge against him is that he hurt religious feeling by mocking Prophet Mohammed and made bad comments against Islam, the prophet and the Koran on Facebook and YouTube,' he said.

Shahidullah said hundreds of Muslims staged demonstrations against Noor in 2017 in the southern coastal town of Amtali after the head of an Islamic seminary filed a case against him.

Noor was charged under Bangladesh's strict internet laws and could face up to 14 years in jail if found guilty.

Rights groups have accused the Bangladesh government of muzzling dissent and targeting atheist bloggers who have used social media to criticise religion.

In 2013, four Bangladeshi bloggers were arrested after nationwide protests in which Islamic groups demanded the execution of atheist commentators. They were later freed.

In recent years, atheist and secular voices have been targeted by Islamist extremist groups, who have hacked to death a dozen bloggers, publishers and activists, and forced others to flee overseas.

Following the attacks, the government launched a crackdown on extremist groups.

In July last year however militants stormed a Dhaka cafe and massacred 22 hostages, including 18 foreigners, in an assault claimed by the Islamic State group. Security forces have since killed more than 70 alleged militants.

Tags: asad noor, youtube, social media activist, isis
Location: Bangladesh, Dhaka, Dhaka