Media commission shouldn’t be a vehicle for censorship
Media commission shouldn’t be a vehicle for censorship free media is a pillar of democratic society but under threat in many parts of the world, says Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, during an interview with The Daily Star. She notes that the press in Bangladesh was decimated by the previous regime under former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "The media sector was almost totally captured and subjugated -- so much so that many journalists became demoralised and left the profession. Very few outlets had the courage to speak truth to power." Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. A former head of the global human rights organisation Amnesty International, Irene explains that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, protected by international law. It can be restricted only in certain limited circumstances that must be clearly and narrowly defined by law and must be necessary an...