Source: www.jihadwatch.org

How could this have happened in a peaceful, tolerant Muslim nation such as Bangladesh? Did they appoint Eric Posner, Sarah Chayes, or Nathan Lean (aka “Garibaldi“) as Internet czar?

“Bangladesh arrests three atheist bloggers,” from AFP, April 2 (thanks to Lookmann):

DHAKA: Bangladesh police have arrested three atheist bloggers for allegedly defaming Islam and the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), police said Tuesday, amid calls from religious fundamentalists for an Internet crackdown.The arrest of the three, who were paraded in handcuffs at a news conference, followed pressure from Islamic groups who have organised a march from all over the country to the capital to demand the death penalty for atheist bloggers.

“They have hurt the religious feelings of the people by writing against different religions and their prophets and founders including the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh),” said deputy commissioner of Dhaka police, Molla Nazrul Islam.

The three could face 10 years in jail if convicted under the country’s cyber laws which outlaw “defaming” a religion, Islam said.

Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan said the three arrested men were among 84 “atheist bloggers” named in a list handed over by an Islamist group to a government panel probing alleged blasphemy against Islam on the Internet.

There has been vociferous debate between staunch atheists and fundamentalists in Bangladesh’s blogosphere and on social media for years, but it took a deadly turn in February when an atheist blogger was murdered.

The government has blocked about a dozen websites and blogs to stem the unrest. It also set up a panel, which included intelligence chiefs, to snoop for blasphemy in the social media.

Last week the telecoms regulator ordered two sites to remove hundreds of posts of seven bloggers whose writings it said offended Muslims.

“We demand their release. The future of Bangladesh is bleak if the freedom expression of the bloggers is curbed,” Fahmidul Haq, a blogger and Dhaka University professor, said at a news conference.

Indeed.

Haq said the lives of the 84 bloggers who were named in the list prepared by Islamic groups now were at risk….

Indeed.

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