Investigative journalist arrested over COVID-19 report has been granted bail.
Gatekeepers News reports that the female Bangladeshi investigative journalist, Rozina Islam was granted conditional bail on Sunday after her detention sparked days of protests and international condemnation.
She was detained on Monday after being accused of stealing important documents and without any authorisation, photographing papers associated with the government’s acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines from Russia and China.
Gatekeepers News gathered that the 42-year-old had gone to the Health Ministry to interview an employee but was unfortunately locked up, a move which was believed to be connected to her recent report that exposed alleged corruption in the public health system.
Islam who works with Prothom Alo newspaper, the country’s most populous newspaper, had exposed how bribes were being given to hiring doctors and how critical pharmaceutical supplies for COVID-19 treatment were neglected at Dhaka airport for months.
The investigative journalist was detained on Monday under articles 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act which legally authorises the killing of someone in cases of espionage. She was also accused under articles 379 and 411 of the penal code of “putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion” and hiding stolen papers, which could attract up to 14 years imprisonment.
On Sunday, the Chief metropolitan magistrate of the capital Dhaka granted Islam bail and directed her to submit her passport in order to prevent her from leaving the country
Islam was also ordered to pay a bail bond of 5,000 taka ($60).
