KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Dozens of Nepali journalists on Thursday staged demonstration in front of the Bangladeshi Embassy in Kathmandu demanding immediate release of acclaimed Bangladesh photo journalist and social activist Shahidul Alam. Alam was arrested by Bangladeshi authorities earlier this week.
Journalists and rights activities assembled in front of the Bangladeshi Embassy at Basundhara and expressed their solidarity with the ongoing protests in Bangladesh. Protesters waved placards reading “Free Shahidul Alam”, “Bangladesh! The World is watching!”, “Let the press do their job”, “Photo Journalism is not a crime”, and “Shahidul Alam’s arrest is a complete violation of freedom of speech”.
Alam has been framed, argues Alam's lawyer Raman Shrestha
Protests had erupted worldwide, sparking anger especially amongst press and media personnel when Alam was arrested after he placed his opinion regarding a student-led protest and its wide scale implications in Bangladesh.
Hash tags such as #FreeShahidulAlam and #PressFreedom have been trending internationally on various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
