Bangladesh
Journalist beaten while in custodyPosted Nov 1 2007
Jahangir Alam Akash, a Bangladeshi journalist arrested on extortion charges, was beaten while in custody, his wife said.
Akash works for the Bengali-language daily Dainik Sangbad. He was taken from his home by Rapid Action Battalion, an elite anti crime and anti terrorism government force on Oct. 23. He was sent to the hospital on Oct. 25 with leg injuries, his wife told local journalist Shahriar Kabir and press freedom advocate Mainul Islam Khan.
Local press freedom groups say authorities are targeting Akash in reprisal for his reporting. Prior to the arrest, Akash told Committee to Protect Journalists that he had been charged on a separate extortion allegation.
About 50 local journalists expressed their concern over the earlier charge in a statement issued on Monday, according to The Daily Star.
Akash was still in hospital on Oct. 26 and had not yet appeared in court.