This campaign will promote rule of law, freedom of thought & expression, stop arbitrary detention of Journalists and reporters in Bangladesh.

Journalist, editor and president of the Bangladeshi Federal Journalists Union Shaukat Mahmood has been repeatedly imprisoned on trumped up charges since August last year.

His crime? His tireless pursuit in exposing corruption, disappearances and interference of the judiciary by the Bangladeshi government and its agents.

However, he is not alone. Two other prominent editors have also been imprisoned: Mahmudar Rahman, of national daily Amar Desh, who was locked up three years ago, and Shafik Rehman, of national magazine Mouchake Dhill, just last week (April 2016).

Bangladeshi governments have never been big on a free and independent media, however, over the last three years we have seen an escalation in attacks on those attempting to expose government wrongdoing: not only imprisoning prominent journalists and editors, but also forcing the closure of whole TV stations and newspapers that don't tow the line.

This petition calls on civil society and institutions to publicise, campaign and lobby to free these journalists and end these attacks on human rights and freedom of expression so they may be free to advocate on behalf of the Bangladeshi people.

We also call on British and international journalists to show their support in any way they can: cover the story, pass a motion at your union or lobby the government.

Please share widely and leave messages of support.

Assembly for Justice and Development - a group of non-aligned British Bangladeshis working for better democracy, rule of law and human rights in Bangladesh.