Bangladeshi newspaper editors on Monday staged a protest demanding sweeping amendments to a newly enacted digital law that journalists and rights groups say will curb freedom of expression. Critics say the measures — including prison sentences for spreading “negative propaganda” — are an attempt by an increasingly autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stifle dissent in the South Asian nation. Sixteen members of the Sampadak Parishad, a council of top editors, stood in front of the national press club in Dhaka, holding their hands to form a human-chain — a popular form of protest in Bangladesh. They also held a banner that read “abolish the anti-freedom of expression articles in the digital security act”. According to the Digital Security Act 2018, a journalist could be convicted of espionage for entering a government office and gathering information secretly using any electronic device — an offence that would carry a 14-year jail sentence. Published in Daily Times, October 16th 2018.