The InternationalCovenant on Civil and Political Rights: A Study on Bangladesh Compliance District ordered the closure of Amar Desh, and the detention of its editor, Mahmudur Rahman, ostensibly for fraudulent editorial practices. Amar Desh remained closed for more than a month. The newspaper is now publishing under a stay ordered by the Appellate Division, pending a final verdict on its status. Also on August 19, a second editor of Amar Desh, Waliullah Noman, was sentenced to one month in prison for an unrelated article criticizing the neutrality of two judicial appointments. According to the Attorney General, this was the first time that the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court sentenced journalists to prison for contempt of court.101 In recent years, publishers and editors of a good number of popular newspapers had to appear before the Supreme Court for their alleged contempt of the Court. Frequent attacks on journalists are a serious threat to freedom of expression. There is an increase in individuals affiliated with the government or ruling party harassing, arresting, or assaulting journalists. According to Odhikar and media watchdog groups, at least four journalists were killed, 118 were injured, two were arrested, 43 were assaulted, 49 were threatened, and 12 had cases filed against them in 2010 alone.102 On September 1, 2010, activists from the Rajshahi 103 104 Ibid. See, US Department of State, International Religious Freedom Report, July–December 2010 (released on 13 September 2011), at <www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/rpt>. 83