Demanding the release of Japanese documentary filmmaker and journalist Toru Kubota, sentenced to 10 years in prison by a court in military-ruled Myanmar, Bangladesh Documentary Filmmakers Association organised a human chain in Dhaka’s Shahbagh Saturday.
Kubota, 26, was arrested in July at a protest rally in Myanmar’s Yangon when he was filming an anti-government protest. At the time, he faced charges of violating immigration laws and encouraging dissent against the ruling military.
“We have been asking the Myanmar authorities for Kubota’s release from the beginning,” an official of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the media Thursday.
Bangladesh Documentary Filmmakers Association President Masud Karim said: “Today the right to free thought is under threat all over the world. We strongly protest the farcical trial and imprisonment of Toru Kubota – a young free-thinking media activist and filmmaker. We also demand his immediate release.”
Meanwhile, the organisation’s advisor, poet, journalist and Bangla Academy award winner Nasir Ahmed and General Secretary filmmaker Sehangal Biplob spoke at the peaceful demonstration.
They said they would submit a memorandum for the release of Kubota to the Myanmar Embassy in Dhaka through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.
Myanmar’s military overthrew its democratic government in February 2021, which resulted in nationwide violence. To control the situation, the junta government arrested thousands of citizens, including politicians, bureaucrats, students, journalists and foreigners.
As part of that, independent media activist Kubota was sentenced for “violating” the Sedition and Communications Act.
Source: United News of Bangladesh