Bangladesh: Hindu youth Paritosh Sarkar sentenced to five years in jail for ‘blasphemy’

A Hindu youth in Bangladesh has been sentenced to five years in jail by a courtroom for alleged blasphemy. Paritosh Sarkar, accused of creating blasphemous feedback on Facebook, has additionally been fined 30,000 Taka by the Rangpur Cyber Tribunal. Sarkar was convicted underneath Digital Security Act by choose Abdul Majid Roy of the tribunal on Wednesday.

Paritosh Sarkar has been awarded a sentence of a complete of 11 years in jail, as he has been awarded 4 sentences of 1 12 months, two years, three years and 5 years. However, the sentences will run concurrently, subsequently he might want to keep in jail for five years. Prosecution Counsel Ruhul Amin Talukdar stated that Paritosh has been convicted for hurting spiritual sentiments.

Poritosh was sentenced underneath part 31(1) of the Digital Security Act which criminalises the publication of something that “creates enmity, hatred or hostility among different classes or communities of the society, or destroys communal harmony”.

Paritosh Sarkar had allegedly posted a picture on Facebook in October 2021, which was deemed blasphemous by Muslims. Following the picture posted on the social media platform was noticed by Islamists, his village was attacked by a mob, and the complete village was burned down on 17 October 2021. The incident befell in Bara Karimpur Hindu village of Ramnathpur union in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur district. The mob was mobilised by making bulletins on the mosque loudspeakers.

Alleging that the Facebook submit by Paritosh Sarkar insulted the spiritual feeling of Muslims, a lot of Islamists had arrived at his home on the village on 17 October 2021. However, the police arrived on time, and managed the mob. While police have been capable of defend the home, the mob diverted their anger to the complete village, and launched a large assault.

An whole fishing village of Hindus was burned down by Islamists, as over 60 homes of Hindus have been torched within the assault. Before torching the homes, the Islamists had vandalised the village, and looted the homes, taking away valuables, livestock and different gadgets. Hindu temples within the village have been vandalised, with the idols damaged down. The home of Paritosh was additionally later vandalised and the cowshed was torched because the police was overpowered by the mob.

The villages fled to the close by paddy fields when their village was being burned down. Police needed to resort to firing within the air and firing rubber bullets to manage the mob, and the state of affairs was introduced underneath management by the evening with the arrival of extra forces. Paritosh and his household additionally fled from the village.

After the incident, instances have been lodged not just for the assault on the village, but in addition in opposition to Paritosh Sarkar for allegedly triggering the riot. He was a category 10 pupil at the moment, and was aged round 15-16 years. He was arrested by police after some days from Joypurhat, the place he alongside along with his household was staying on the home of a relative.

Paritosh was denied bail a number of occasions, and he was stored in solitary confinement for a number of months in the course of the trial. However, the jail authorities had instructed his lawyer and household that he was stored separated for his security. He was lastly granted bail on May 9, 2022, however earlier this month he was once more despatched to jail by the courtroom forward of delivering the decision.

Police have claimed that after the arrest, Paritosh Sarkar confessed to committing blasphemy, and that he was 19-years-old at the moment. However, Paritosh and his household maintains that he didn’t posted the picture, and his cellphone was damaged past restore at the moment. They stated that there is no such thing as a proof that he had posted the picture.

However, the courtroom rejected these arguments and convicted him of “hurting the religious sentiments”. His lawyer stated that they may transfer the High Court in opposition to the decision.

While Paritosh has been convicted and sentenced for the Facebook submit, no one has been convicted thus far for the assault on the Hindu village. Around 150 folks have been booked within the case, and the trials in three instances registered for the incident are nonetheless happening. While 72 persons are on the run, 74 accused within the case of the assault on the village have been granted bail, and they’re roaming free. Those who’re on bail embody village mosque’s moazzem Rabiul Islam, who made the calls from the mosque loudspeaker for folks to collect, Saikat Mandal who masterminded the violence, and Ujjal Hasan, who had taken a screenshot of the ‘blasphemous’ Facebook submit and unfold it.