Manna was arrested on February 24, a day after his telephone conversation with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka about strengthening the anti-government movement, among many other issues, was leaked. A sedition case was filed against the two on March 5.
Fifty-nine noted personalities have signed a statement calling for releasing Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna from prison and giving him a chance to defend himself in a trial.
The Wall Street Journal described him as a "fierce critic of the government". And there is nothing that is wrong with that . Every citizen has a right to speak against their government, hence freedom of speech.
A press release, issued by Nagorik Oikya yesterday with the photocopy of the signatures, read that Manna, a former student leader and politician, had been in jail for the last nine months without a trial.
We believe Manna is an honest man and he deserves a fair trial. It is against human rights to imprison someone for so long without giving them a chance to speak.
