Kishore’s lawyer mulls legal move against custodial tortures on his client

The lawyer of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore — who had been allegedly tortured and detained for days before being framed in the Digital Security Act case — is considering legal moves against custodial tortures on his client in May last year.

Jyotirmoy Barua, the lawyer, however, did not disclose the date of filing the case which is to be lodged under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act.

Barua told The Business Standard that they will take legal steps against the custodial tortures on cartoonist Kishore as soon as he recovers from the physical damages caused by the tortures.

Ahsan Kabir, brother of Kishore, said they will give their consent to any legal move by the lawyer to seek justice against custodial tortures.

Ashique Billah, director of Rapid Action Battalion's (RAB) legal and media wing, however, brushed aside the allegations saying Kishore was talking as an aggrieved person when he raised the torture allegations. RAB is not taking these allegations into consideration, he added.

Mentionable, Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013 prohibits both mental and physical torture in any situation and death in custody of law enforcement agencies.

The law provides minimum punishment not less than five years and maximum life term imprisonment with a fine for crimes committed under it.

Coming out of jail on bail on Thursday last, Kishore is now undergoing treatment at a private hospital and doctors are yet to complete their diagnosis.

"A lot of tests prescribed by the doctors have been done. They are expected to decide Sunday on how Kishore's treatment will continue following assessment of the test results," Ahsan Kabir said, adding that Kishore is able to eat and drink properly now, and he is feeling better.

"Kishore is now doing better than the last couple of days, following bail," said his elder brother Ahsan Kabir quoting the doctors.

He said doctors are checking on Kishore three times a day. His diabetes is better controlled than before, and we are hoping it will be fully under control within one or two days.

"Besides, an ear-nose-throat specialist, an orthopaedic doctor and an eye specialist will also see him. Kishore's eardrum had burst during torture after arrest. There has been no particular improvement and the infection remains," he said.

Kishore was released on Thursday, after 10 months of detention following his arrest in a case filed under the Digital Security Act with the capital's Ramna police station in early May 2020 for "criticising" the government.

Earlier on 28 February, Jyotirmoy Barua told a Dhaka court that Kishore was subjected to inhuman physical and mental torture in custody after RAB members picked him up from his Kakrail house.

Barua also appealed to the court to accept a complaint against the RAB members under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013.

Soon after his release, the cartoonist narrated in detail to the media about gruesome tortures on him after the detention.

The High Court on Wednesday granted Kishore a six-month bail after another accused in the case, writer Mushtaq Ahmed, died in Gazipur's high-security Kashimpur jail on 25 February. He was denied bail six times.

Kishore was arrested in a case filed under the Digital Security Act, on similar charges as writer Mushtaq that included propagating disinformation against the government on social media.

Mushtaq, Kishore, Rastrachinta organiser Didarul Islam Bhuiyan and Dhaka Stock Exchange Director Minhaz Mannan Emon also were shown arrested on 5 May 2020 on charges of "tarnishing" the image of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.