The Digital Security Act is one of the world’s worst laws for journalists, said a US Department of State official during a briefing on April 10 in Washington.
The Digital Security Act, according to Vedant Patel, State Department principal deputy spokesperson, was one of the main reasons Bangladesh slid 10 places to 162 out of 180 nations in the most recent World Press Freedom Index. “In our opinion, the DSA is one of the world’s most draconian laws for journalists,” Patel said. “And we have made our reservations about this bill abundantly apparent. A free press and informed citizens are critical for any society and its democratic destiny, and we are worried about media and content restrictions and their potential consequences,” he added. (State Department Press Briefing, April 10, 2023).
