Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, who was found
guilty of contempt for criticising an ICT punishment on David Bergman and
imprisoned on the dock for an hour on June 10, 2015 , comes out and tells media that he will
appeal against the verdict. Photo: Palash Khan
A
war crimes tribunal today found Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah
Chowdhury guilty of contempt and imprisoned him at court for an hour for
criticising punishment of Bangladesh-based UK journalist David Bergman.
International
Crimes Tribunal-2 held on dock under police vigilance and fined him Tk 5,000 –
in default of which he will have to serve a month in prison.
Twenty-two
others, who were facing the same charge, were exonerated. The court said they
had committed the contempt for the first time.
This
was Zafrullah’s second time contempt, the court said adding that he should have
been given “significant punishment” but was considered because of his age.
The
Gonoshasthaya founder, who stood on the docks from roughly around 12:50pm to 1:50pm , later told journalists that he will appeal against the
verdict.
Those
exonerated others are: Masud Khan, Afsan Chowdhury, Ziaur Rahman, Hana Shams
Ahmed, Anu Muhammad, Anusheh Anadil, Muktasree Chakma Sathi, Lubna Marium,
Farida Akhter, Shireen Huq, Ali Ahmed Ziauddin, Rahnuma Ahmed, Shahdul Alam, CR
Abrar, Bina D'Costa, Mahmud Rahman, Zarina Nahar Kabir, Leesa Gazi, Shabnam
Nadiya, Nasrin Siraj Annie, Tibra Ali and Delwar Hussain.
On
December 2, 2014, the tribunal found Bergman, editor (special reports) of New
Age, guilty of contempt of court for two of his blog posts of January 2013 on
the verdict of Abul Kalam Azad, also known as Bachchu Razakar.
He was sentenced to imprisonment "till
rising of the court" that day and fined Tk 5,000.
On
December 20 last year, the daily Prothom Alo ran a report titled "50
people express concern over Bergman's punishment", which stated that the
order would restrict freedom of expression.
One
signatory, Khusi Kabir, later withdrew her name. The tribunal cleared 26
citizens of the charge as they apologised unconditionally.
Last
month, the ICT-2 gave six more days to the remaining 23 eminent persons to
respond to the tribunal why they should not be punished for contempt.
The
three-member tribunal asked them to place their replies before the tribunal by
April 29. It also asked 15 of them who are living in the country to appear
before it on the day.
