A Bangladeshi court has ordered the temporary detention of two journalists accused of “inciting violence” against the students who led to the downfall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The two journalists, Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa, previously worked for the private television channel Ekattor TV. They were arrested on Wednesday at Dhaka airport as they were preparing to board a flight to Turkey. They are accused of “inciting violence” after a complaint was made against them by a relative of a student who was killed in the protests.

The plaintiff’s lawyers argue that the two journalists were “shamelessly supportive” of Hasina’s government and the Awami League party and used their status to incite others to violent action.

“They encouraged and supported the atrocities committed by the government,” said lawyer Omar Farooq Farooqui.

More than 450 people were killed, most by police fire, in the weeks before Hasina’s August 5 overthrow. The ousted prime minister fled by helicopter to neighboring India.

Hasina’s regime has been criticized by human rights groups for its crackdown on dissidents, particularly journalists.

Ahmed and Rupa are the first journalists to be arrested by the new, transitional government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Dozens of people attended today’s hearing at the Dhaka District Court, where security had been beefed up.

Student protests began in July demanding changes to the public sector recruitment system. Until then, priority was given to special categories of the population, such as the children of those who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence from Pakistan in 1971.

At a press conference held during the protests, Rupa asked Hasina what she would do to those who insult war veterans. Hasina responded by calling the protesters “razakars,” a pejorative term used to refer to those who collaborated with Pakistani forces in 1971. The comment was a turning point that escalated the protests and sparked a wave of resentment against Hasina.