HC grants six-month bail to cartoonist Kishore

The High Court on Wednesday granted six-month bail to cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, who has been detained for 10 months in a case filed under the Digital Security Act allegedly for criticising the government’s inaction in tackling the COVID-19 situation.

The online bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman granted Kishore bail on consideration of his long custody and sent the case for further investigation.

The court, however, did not pass any order on the bail prayer of writer Mushtaq Ahmed, a co-accused in the case, after Mushtaq’s lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua submitted an affidavit to the court confirming his death in the High-Security Jail in Kashimpur on February 25. 

Mushtaq, Kishore, Rastra Chinta organiser Didarul Islam Bhuiyan and Dhaka Stock Exchange director Minhaz Mannan Emon were arrested on May 5, 2020, on charge of spreading rumour on social media.

Mushtaq, awaiting the hearing of his bail prayer by the High Court was declared dead on February 25 after he fell unconscious in the jail.

His death drew huge protest and condemnation, with the protesters demanding a credible investigation into the death, the scrapping of the Digital Security Act and the release of all prisoners arrested under the act.

According to a prison officer, Mushtaq and Kishore shared a room in the prison until Mushtaq’s death.

On January 21, Mushtaq and Kishore jointly petitioned the High Court seeking their bail in the case. They were previously denied bail six times, lawyers said.  

News Courtesy:

https://www.newagebd.net/article/131660/hc-grants-six-month-bail-to-cartoonist-kishore