Human rights organisation Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman Khan and director ASM Nasir Uddin have filed an appeal with the High Court against their jail sentence.
The appeal was filed with the concerned section of the High Court on Monday.
Besides, steps have been taken to file a petition seeking bail for Adilur and Nasir.
Their lawyer Md Ahsanuzzaman confirmed this to Prothom Alo.
The cyber tribunal in Dhaka sentenced Adilur and Nasir for two years on 14 September in a case filed under Section 57 of Information and Communication Act (ICT) a decade ago.
They were also fined Tk 10000 each. After the verdict, Adilur and Nasir were sent to jail.
A case was filed against Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasir Uddin, on allegation of spreading untrue and fabricated information regarding the law enforcers’ operation on the rally of Hefazat-e Islam on 5 May 2013.
Adilur was arrested in the case on 10 August 2013 and was placed on a five-day remand. Later, the police, with permission of the court, searched the Odhikar office and seized two computers and two laptops.
The detective branch (DB) police submitted the final report to the court on 4 September 2013.
According to the police report, Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasir Uddin prepared a report with the ill-motivated and untrue information of 61 deaths in the operation. Publishing the report, they took an attempt to create grievances among the people, disrupt law and order situation, and tarnish the country’s image at home and abroad.
It led to a negative sentiment among the Muslims regarding the law enforcement agencies, which falls under criminal offence as per the law, the report added.
A charge was framed on 8 January 2014 against Adilur and Elan for publishing ‘fake, distorted and defamatory’ information under sections 57 (1) and 57 (2) of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Act.
Odhikar published the report on 10 June, 2013, saying that some 61 people were killed in the operation on Hefazat men. Later, the information ministry sought detailed information about the 61 victims on 10 July of the year.
In response, Odhikar said they will provide the list if a committee is formed, with a retired High Court justice as its chief, to investigate the incident.