Bangladesh Not So Happy this New Year
The RIFs War on Peace continues as a Muslim journalist who tried to publish moderate and pro-Israel views is arrested (again) in Bangladesh.
As editor of The Weekly Blitz, an English-language newspaper published in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury criticized the Muslim extremists and urged the government to take a more friendly stance with Israel. Bangladesh does not recognize Israel's existence and refuses to establish diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Read more about him and his paper at MidEast Web.
Because of his "radical" views, Choudhury was arrested in 2003 and charged with sedition (you catching this whole theme here?), held in prison for 17 months (without bail) and was reportedly tortured before being "freed" in April 2005. The government still has charges outstanding against him and has recently decided to pursue him in court (again).
The government is not the only assailant Choudhury faces. Last month, unknown assailants set off explosives outside the newspaper's offices and planted a bomb in the press room that failed to detonate.
In a May 20, 2005 opinion piece published in The Jerusalem Post, Choudhury wrote: "As a journalist, I counteracted the biased 'news' that promoted hatred of Israel and Jews, condemned terrorism, promoted the free exchange of ideas and urged Bangladesh to recognize Israel."
Read Dr. Benkin's site in support of Choudhury for more info on how you can offer your support of this "radical" thinker.
As editor of The Weekly Blitz, an English-language newspaper published in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury criticized the Muslim extremists and urged the government to take a more friendly stance with Israel. Bangladesh does not recognize Israel's existence and refuses to establish diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. Read more about him and his paper at MidEast Web.
Because of his "radical" views, Choudhury was arrested in 2003 and charged with sedition (you catching this whole theme here?), held in prison for 17 months (without bail) and was reportedly tortured before being "freed" in April 2005. The government still has charges outstanding against him and has recently decided to pursue him in court (again).
The government is not the only assailant Choudhury faces. Last month, unknown assailants set off explosives outside the newspaper's offices and planted a bomb in the press room that failed to detonate.
In a May 20, 2005 opinion piece published in The Jerusalem Post, Choudhury wrote: "As a journalist, I counteracted the biased 'news' that promoted hatred of Israel and Jews, condemned terrorism, promoted the free exchange of ideas and urged Bangladesh to recognize Israel."
Read Dr. Benkin's site in support of Choudhury for more info on how you can offer your support of this "radical" thinker.
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