Who is Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury?

Mash tells the
detailed and fascinating story of Mr. Choudhury. There are many links in
this post, which you can follow on Mash’s blog. I urge you to read this
post. The emphasis below is mine. Mash also posted it on DailyKos.

On January 16, 2007 Congressman Mark Kirk, Republican of Illinois, sponsored a sense of the House resolution demanding that the Bangladesh government drop all charges against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a journalist facing sedition charges. According to the resolution: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. Whereas Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is a Bangladeshi journalist who, because of his beliefs in an interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims and criticism of Islamic extremism, is on trial for sedition, an offense punishable by death; Whereas on November 29, 2003, Mr. Choudhury was arrested at Zia International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on his way to board a flight bound for Tel Aviv; Mr. Choudhury’s passport was seized, along with considerable sums of money and several personal items; on that same day police raided Mr. Choudhury’s home and newspaper offices, seizing files, computers, and other valuables; … Whereas moderate voices in the Muslim world must be supported and protected to advance the security of the United States and its allies: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that– (1) the Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury (2) the Government of Bangladesh should immediately return all of Mr. Choudhury’s confiscated possessions; an (3) the Government of Bangladesh should cease harassment and intimidation of Mr. Choudhury, take steps to protect Mr. Choudhury, and hold accountable those responsible for attacks against Mr. Choudhury. On February 15, 2007 the resolution passed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs by voice vote. … .. (snip) Mr. Choudhury, who according to the resolution has been charged “because of his beliefs in an interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims and criticism of Islamic extremism”, has many friends and well-wishers around the world and in the US Congress. PEN USA has made him an honorary member; the Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned his detention; Reporters without Borders has condemned an alleged bomb attack near his office; the New York Times has editorialized on his behalf; Bangladeshi bloggers I respect have championed his cause; and a diary has appeared in Daily Kos supporting his cause. … … Mr. Choudhury is also a darling of the conservative side of the aisle. Michelle Malkin has taken up his cause; Atlas Shrugged has been on the case; Melanie Phillips has bemoaned his abandonment; and so has Debbie Schlussel. The Wall Street Journal has demanded his freedom, as have the New York Sun and the Washington Times. … .. The Strange Case Of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury – by Mash