allesennogwat
05-04-2007, 06:53 AM
Bangladesh's state of emergency has created a climate that is promoting self-censorship and harassment of journalists, the US envoy to Dhaka said in a statement Friday.
"The current state of emergency in Bangladesh has introduced ambiguity and uncertainty as journalists seek to navigate the informal controls on media freedom," ambassador Patricia Butenis said.
"It is not surprising that some journalists and editors practise self-censorship and... journalists who are perceived to be overly aggressive or politically partisan have received unwanted attention from certain persons in positions of authority," she said.
"Harassment, threats or abuse of journalists, from any quarter, whatever the motive, are wrong," she added.
The country has been under emergency rule since January 12 when a military-backed interim government took power following months of violent protests. Elections scheduled for that month were also cancelled.
A new interim government, which is seen as being army-backed, has pledged to hold rescheduled elections by the end of 2008 after it has cleaned up Bangladesh's notoriously corrupt political system.
Although restrictions on political activity have been imposed, the government asserted in January that "no restrictions have been imposed on the media's freedom and functions."
"The current state of emergency in Bangladesh has introduced ambiguity and uncertainty as journalists seek to navigate the informal controls on media freedom," ambassador Patricia Butenis said.
"It is not surprising that some journalists and editors practise self-censorship and... journalists who are perceived to be overly aggressive or politically partisan have received unwanted attention from certain persons in positions of authority," she said.
"Harassment, threats or abuse of journalists, from any quarter, whatever the motive, are wrong," she added.
The country has been under emergency rule since January 12 when a military-backed interim government took power following months of violent protests. Elections scheduled for that month were also cancelled.
A new interim government, which is seen as being army-backed, has pledged to hold rescheduled elections by the end of 2008 after it has cleaned up Bangladesh's notoriously corrupt political system.
Although restrictions on political activity have been imposed, the government asserted in January that "no restrictions have been imposed on the media's freedom and functions."