Court approval proposed before arresting journalists

Collected Photo

A proposal has received in-principle approval to require prior court permission before arresting journalists, media owners or responsible persons over news published or broadcast by media outlets.

The proposal was discussed at a meeting reviewing the draft Cyber Security (Amendment) Act, 2026, on Wednesday.

The meeting, chaired by Posts and Telecommunications Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam, was held at the conference room of the Posts and Telecommunications Division. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam were also present.

The meeting emphasised ensuring due legal process in taking action against journalists and preventing harassment, stressing that the proposed law must not be used to undermine press freedom.

Participants reviewed opinions from various stakeholders, recommendations from journalists and observations from relevant ministries and agencies.

The meeting discussed reorganising provisions on defamation, tarnishing reputations and cyberbullying, as well as making the definition of cyberspace more specific. It also considered aligning the definition and penalties for defamation with the Penal Code.

Clarifying the definitions of rumours and misinformation was another priority, with participants expressing concern that vague or overly broad definitions could undermine media freedom.

The meeting also discussed excluding mobile court provisions from the draft law, notifying individuals or organisations of the reasons before removing or blocking content, and setting a timeframe for deciding applications seeking the unblocking of such content.

Participants further proposed issuing written notices and ensuring opportunities for self-defence before taking action against any media outlet or organisation.

Ensuring media representation in the Cyber Security Council was also discussed. The meeting stressed the need for consultations with the United Nations, development partners and international technology platforms such as Meta, in coordination with the relevant ministries.

The revised draft will be further refined based on stakeholders’ opinions and recommendations before being published on the website for public feedback.

ICT Division Secretary Md Mamunur Rashid Bhuiyan, Posts and Telecommunications Division Secretary Dr Md Kamruzzaman and senior officials from relevant ministries and divisions also attended the meeting.