http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2304&cid=6&sid=20
Bangladeshi Facing Death Penalty For Praising Christianity and Judaism
Dr. Richard L. Benkin - 11/18/2006
DHAKA: Bangladesh-Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, the editor of the "Weekly
Blitz" and practicing Muslim, goes on trial for his life on Monday, November
13, on counts of sedition, treason and blasphemy. Since 2003, he has been
beaten, tortured and imprisoned for his work in fostering peace and opposing
radical Islamists in his country.
In an election night phone call Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) promised Choudhury
that he would continue fighting for the journalist in the new Congress. Of
late, Kirk has been joined by a bi-partisan group of Senators and House
Members, and he intimated to Choudhury that he will propose specific action
when Congress re-convenes. Kirk was instrumental in forcing the Bangladesh
government to free Choudhury from prison in 2005.
Since 2003, the Bangladesh government and Islamist radicals have targeted
Choudhury and his family. After seventeen months of imprisonment and
"interrogation," Choudhury was freed in April 2005 due to the efforts of
Chicago-area resident, Richard Benkin and Rep. Mark Kirk. Since then, he has
continued publishing his paper despite government blocks on advertisement and
other forms of harassment.
Radicals have issued several death threats against him and in July, they
bombed his newspaper. On October 6, 2006, a large group of Hindus, Buddhists,
Christians, Bahai, and Muslims spent all night with Choudhury to protect him
from radicals who threatened "dire consequences" for his actions. Shortly after
that, Choudhury went into hiding after a tip alerted him to impending police
and radical moves against him.
Dr. Richard L. Benkin is a US Correspondent for Weekly Blitz;
International Correspondent for Amader Shomoy (Dhaka); and Special Advisor to
the Intelligence Summit on Bangladeshi Affairs.
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