also called Sallah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Linked with Must He Die? Meet A Muslim Dissident, with Choudhury speach to IFLAC’s writers’ symposium, and with BLiTZ (the english online Version). And linked with Bangladesh: Prolonged State of Emergency.
SALAH UDDIN SHOAIB CHOUDHURY is EDITOR & PUBLISHER of BLiTZ, THE ONLY ANTI-JIHADIST NEWSPAPER in Bangladesh.
His country wants to hang him, and this could happen within the next few months. Sallah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is a Bangladeshi journalist, publisher and peace activist who has left the fold of Jew hatred and Muslim supremacy that is infecting his country in recent years. For that, he is accused of ‘crimes against humanity’ and ‘hurting the image of Islam’ … (full text, August 14, 2008).
… Mr. Choudhury, who calls himself a “Muslim Zionist,” was arrested in Nov 2003 at the Dhaka airport for the “crime” of responding to an invitation to travel to Israel to address the Hebrew Writers Association on the subject of peaceful relations between Muslims and Jews in the Middle East. Mr. Choudhury was charged with blasphemy, sedition, treason, and espionage on behalf of Israel, any one of which is punishable by death in Bangladesh … (full text, August 20, 2008).
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Sallah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury – Bangladesh
Irwin Cotler Joins Shoab Choudhury’s Defence, December 08, 2006).
… Choudhury’s aborted speech needs to be read (on Interfaith Strength). In passionate yet surprisingly serene tones, he confronts the irrational hatred primarily directed against Jews and Israel that is inflaming the Muslim world, including its semi-religious belief in Holocaust Denial. Choudhury commends Israel’s democracy and progress, and proposes creating what he calls a Culture of peace’ with justice and tolerance for all people as opposed to the culture of death. His stated mission is to take personal responsibility to break down the firewall of lies and ignorance that separate one people from another, using his talents as a writer and publisher. Are you hearing echoes of Reagan’s famous command, Tear down this wall. You should … (full text, Aug 13, 2008).
Tackling the global fertilizer crisis, Aug 24, 2008.
He fired the first salvo in 2003 and has been sticking his thumb in Islamist eyes ever since. Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury describes himself as a “Muslim Zionist.” He is unabashedly pro-US, pro-Israel, and anti-Islamist. More importantly, he remains all of that from within the Muslim world, which he refuses to leave. I have fielded any number of asylum requests for him, and he declined them all. Retreat is not in my vocabulary,” he says, for he believes that if he were to leave his country, his credibility would be gone, and Islamists would claim victory; a satisfaction he refuses to give them. “Bangladesh is my country,” he says. “Let the radicals leave!” … (full text).
Bangladesh’s Consolation Prize Dead in the Water, Aug 20, 2008.
Un journaliste bangladeshi accusé de « crime contre l’humanité » pour dénoncer le suprématisme musulman, 19 août 2008: Son pays veut le pendre, ce qui pourrait se produire d’ici quelques mois. Sallah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury est un journaliste, un éditeur et un activiste pour la paix qui a renoncé à la haine des Juifs et au suprématisme musulman qui infecte son pays depuis ces dernières années. Cela lui vaut d’être accusé de ‘crimes contre l’humanité’ et de ‘ternir l’image de l’islam’ … (texte entier, 19 août 2008).
Pro-Israel editor goes on trial in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh authorities have violated both their international undertakings and their own domestic constitution – Irwin Cotler, MP, Aug 20, 2008.
Repeal Bangladesh’s Racist Vested Property Act, Aug 01, 2008.
Despite promises, Bangladesh authothorities have not stopped the « judicial » process against freedom fighter journalist Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhoury, who angered them because of his opposition to Islamist extremism and his support for Israel. Lacking evidence, the government has dragged the process out for several years with endless continuations and a never-ending supply of new court dates … (full text, March 12, 2008).
Time to change old attitude, July 24, 2008.
The kafkaesque trial of Bangladesh dissident Sallah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury continues, March 12, 2008.
… Shoaib Choudhury has written a number of books in Bangla and English. His latest book Injustice & Jihad was published in October 2007. In May 2008, Italian publication house Neftasia has published Choudhury’s book titled ‘Non Sono Colpevole’ in Italian. This is the first book of any contemporary Bangladeshi journalist translated into Italian. Choudhury opened a branch of the Israel-based International Forum for Literature and Culture of Peace. He wrote about the rise of al-Qaeda in Bangladesh and has written articles critical of anti-Israeli and antisemitic attitudes in Muslim-majority countries. Choudhury is an Advisory Board Member of the Islam-Israel Fellowship, a group co-founded by Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi. PEN USA gave their freedom to Write Award in 2005 in recognition of his commitment to courageous journalism under extreme adversity. The American Jewish Committee presented its Moral Courage Award to him in May 2006, but the Bangladesh government prevented him from visiting the United States to receive the honor. HRH Prince Albert of Monaco awarded the 2007 Monaco Media Award to Choudhury for outstanding courage and commitment in confronting the culture of religious hatred. Choudhury also received the Key to Englewood, (New Jersey), USA from Mayor Michael Wildes. Choudhury is facing charges of sedition, treason, blasphemy and espionage since January 2004 for having tried to attend a conference of the Hebrew Writers’ Association in Tel Aviv. He violated the Passport Act, by attempting to travel to Israel in November 2003. The Act forbids citizens from visiting countries with which Bangladesh does not maintain diplomatic relations, usually punishable by a fine of $8. It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh presently does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and Israel. But, travel ban on Taiwan was silently lifted while people started business with Taiwan even when Bangladesh had travel ban on that country … (full long text).
Find his name on Google Group-search; Google Book-search; Google Scholar-search; on Google Blog-search: as Sallah … , and as Salah … .
… Choudhury is almost stoic at times. “You get used to it,” he said. But not complacent. When his younger brother, Sohail Choudhury, called him to report the “Sohel” incident, the senior Choudhury sent text messages to the police and members of the government; and to the Daily Manabzamin. He also called his own newspaper, Weekly Blitz, and asked one his staff, Rana Masud, to get to the bottom of the matter since Masud’s brother is a senior journalist with Manabzamin. That newspaper confirmed that it employs no one named Sohel and in any event did not send anyone to the Choudhury home. Indian Conservatives Struggle to Build Alternate Media, … (full text, Aug 02, 2008).
… Masud then called the phone number that Sohel left, and the latter admitted that he lied when he said he worked for Manabzamin. He said that he actually worked but for Daily Aparashkantha, “an underground newspaper known for blackmailing people,” according to Choudhury.
Masud asked , “Why did you go to Choudhury’s residence? Why did you take video footage?”
Sohel: “Ask Choudhury to call Aparadhkantha editor Rashedul Hassan. Choudhury owes 100,000 Taka [roughly $1,500 US] to Rashed.”
Masud: “100,000 Taka? No it is false. Rashed came to our office in April and asked for TK. 1 million as ‘loan.’ But Mr. Choudhury declined to give such loan. Why you are trying to put false pressure to extract money from us?”
Sohel: “Ask Choudhury to call Rashed and settle the matter.” Roughly translated as “Crime Voice,” Aparashkantha had been running screaming front page headlines about Shoaib’s trial since its start the day before. The headlined and accompanying articles were sensationalistic and urged that “the Zionist spy” be convicted of sedition, treason, and blasphemy. The paper was now demanding that Choudhury provide a payoff of 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka, roughly $1500 in US currency to Rashed.
Choudhury has filed a formal complaint about the incident with the Dhaka police, but so far has received no response. Aparashkantha is rumored to have ties with both organized crime and the government’s paramilitary group, Rapid Action Battalion. When I spoke with representatives of the Bangladeshi government, who wish to remain anonymous, they reminded me that this is essentially a criminal matter (unless Choudhury also wants to press a civil suit) and not the province of the central government. They did assure me, however, that they would look into the matter nonetheless … (full long text, August 20, 2008).
links:
What may happen before 12/24? July 24, 2008;
Editor pro Israel en Bangladesh podría ser condenado a muerte, Aug 10, 2008.