Choudhury back in it

Last January the 22nd when Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury's trial for sedition was postponed because no government witnesses turned up, things were starting to look better for him. In addition, under American pressure, the Bangladeshi Government had stated that two more scheduled appearances would go the same way and end the persecution of the journalist. The second was yesterday; it didn't go like that.

Instead, two government witnesses did show and the radical-affiliated judge signed an order forcing the trial to continue and accusing Choudhury of being a “threat to the security of Bangladesh.”

The international pressure continues.

Recently, resolutions condemning Choudhury’s persecution have been passed in the European and Australian Parliaments. A similar resolution in the US Congress recently passed the powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs without opposition and with open support by the US State Department.

Choudhury trial - no witnesses

My inadequate news gathering has been shown up once again. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury did indeed go on trial on January 22, but things turned out rather differently to what his persecutors had planned.

When Choudhury’s trial resumed on January 22, the government witnesses against him failed to show forcing a postponement until February 28. Based on this and other information, Choudhury and Benkin are urging their supporters to flood the new government with letters, faxes, and emails about the case.

There are big things happening in Bangladesh at the moment. Richard L. Benkin, who has been leading the campaign to save Choudhury, visited the country for 10 days earlier this month, and gives a summary of what has happened.

Erwin Cotler on Shoaib Choudhury

Irwin Cotler, MP and ex-Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, is a major human rights lawyer who has acted on behalf of Nelson Mandela, Andrei Sakharov, Natan Sharansky and Saad Edin Ibrahim. He is now representing, though I'm not sure in what capacity, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, whose trial starts next week.

Cotler has an article in the Jerusalem Post giving the background and detailing Choudhury's legal position. In most countries, there wouldn't even be a trial. Even at home, his one 'crime', attempting to travel to a country not recognised by Bangladesh, would normally have earned him an $8 fine. That wasn't good enough for the Islamists seeking complete power, and they are determined to convict him of treason and sedition despite the complete lack of what you or I would call evidence.

Cotler also lists the 12 ways in which Choudhury's rights have been violated.

a. the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty;
b. the right not to be arbitrarily arrested and detained;
c. the right to be informed promptly and in detail of the nature of the charge, and the right to a prompt appearance before a judge to challenge the lawfulness of arrest and detention;
d. the prohibition against torture and the right to humane conditions during detention;
e. the right to protection against coercive interrogation;
f. the right of access to legal counsel;
g. the right to equal access to, and equality before, the courts;
h. the right to a fair hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law;
i. the right to freedom of religion and conscience;
j. the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press;
k. the right to freedom of association and assembly; and
l. the right to freedom of movement, including the right to leave and re-enter the country.

The 64,000 dollar question

Shoaib Choudhury writes for The Jewish Week in New York.

According to latest estimates, there are at least 64,000 madrassas in Bangladesh, most of which are beyond any form of governmental control or supervision. Moderate Muslims note that the Taliban was born in similar madrassas in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province and in Afghan refugee camps, where they promoted a new radical and extremely militant model for Islamic revolutions.

As he notes, often they are the only means of education for the poor. It would be interesting to know what skills the madrassas develop in their young charges, apart from more or less questionable interpretations of the Koran. This is an example of Saudi soft power, one we would do well to imitate and compete with. One of the things I have heard nothing about in the latest Washington strategy changes is the use of American soft power. In the long run, it is going to be more important than the use of the military. Is the White House developing a strategy to deal with the mindspace? That is, after all, the main battlefield in this Long War.

Shoaib Choudhury latest

Shoaib Choudhury's trial in Bangladesh starts on the 22nd of January. There's little hope of a fair trial and the two sentencing options are 30 years or death. But the campaign to save him is growing by the day.

Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Rep. Nita Lowey of New York have introduced House Resolution 1080, calling on the Bangladeshi government to drop all charges against Choudhury, to cease the harassment campaign against him, and to bring his attackers to justice.

Campaigners are also calling for consumer pressure to be applied.

"And speaking of money, Bangladeshi factories continue to churn out endless dollars worth of clothing imported by U.S. stores: The Gap, Wal-mart, Nike. Let these retailers know that you have urgent concerns about their trading partner. The Bangladesh garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association is one of the most powerful organizations in that country, and controls millions of its jobs."

This article from Canada Free Press gives the background and latest news.

Irwin Cotler for Shoaib Choudhury

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, the Bangladishi journalist on trial for sedition, treason, and blasphemy (=criticising Islamic radicalism, but not Christians and Jews) has added a major human rights lawyer to his defence team. Professor Irwin Cotler, who has acted on behalf of Nelson Mandela, Andrei Sakharov, Natan Sharansky and Saad Edin Ibrahim and is a member of the Canadian Parliament, has already identified 8 violations of Choudhury's rights under Bangladeshi law and says that the charges against him are "unfounded in fact and wrong in law".

I posted about this here and here.

EU notices Choudhury

The European Parliament have noticed Shoaib Choudhury calling for his acquital. Its press release notes that

in 2006 three journalists were killed and at least 95 others attacked, and 55 press correspondents were the targets of intimidation because of articles considered to be ‘non-Islamic’. In the course of the year more than 70 journalists have been forced to flee the country.

The UK government could lend a hand here. The UK is Bangladesh's biggest donor of aid, amounting as it does to £125m a year.

Choudhury in court

Shoaib Choudhury does really seem to hold out no hope for himself. The opening day of his trial was Monday and he has written an account of it and published it in Israelinsider. Since what they want to hang him for is the fact that he considers Israelis people like anyone else and acts accordingly, his approach seems to be 'I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb'. Or is he raising the stakes in the hope of attracting more international interest? If so, the best of luck to him.

He quotes the charge as read out in court.

"By praising the Jews and Christians, by attempting to travel to Israel and by predicting the so-called rise of Islamist militancy in the country and expressing such through writings inside the country and abroad, you have tried to damage the image and relations of Bangladesh with the outside world. For which, charges under section 295-A, 120-A, 124-A, 105-A and 108-A are brought against you."

The trial is set to resume on the 22nd of January.

An article by Janet Albrechtsen in The Australian about why this story is important, and what part Bangladesh might soon be playing in al-Queda's war.

Choudhury trial

Choudary's trial begins today with what "he himself believes to be the near certainty of a death sentence for sedition".