We must uncover whether Mushtaq’s death was natural or murder

The death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed, detained under the Digital Security Act, has to be investigated. As a rights activist, I can say that the law under which Mushtaq Ahmed was detained and kept behind bars is nothing but oppressive and this must be amended.

Writer Mushtaq was kept confined for long, almost for a year. Whereas the allegation, brought against him, has no merit at all, time and again his bail pleas were rejected. The state must look into how justified was the police case and deposition against him, otherwise, this law will continue to be used to oppress the people. The people’s right to freedom of expression will be truncated. Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, detained under this act, is still in jail. He is yet to get bail. His family alleged that he was tortured. This also has to be looked into.

We have seen the Digital Security Act is being used against writers, teachers, lawyers, journalists and rights activists. In most of the cases, the allegations are like fantasy stories. This suggests the pointlessness of the act. Following the death of Mushtaq Ahmed, we could say that this law truncates right to freedom of expression in such a way that a person cannot get out of its grasp until death. Why would a law enforcement agency apply a law against a person if it does not understand whether there are similarities in allegations brought against that person and in the charge sheet. This law is a hindrance for freedom of expression. This cannot bode well for any democratic country.

The death of Mushtaq should be investigated. There should be review on how he died, his health condition at the time and whether his custodial death was natural or it was a murder, because there could be instigations for death as well. A law could even induce a person to choose death. Truncating people’s right to freedom of expression could lead the people towards death.

* The article has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza