Explain concerns over Bergman being found contemptuous of court
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday asked 49 eminent persons to explain by January 27 a statement they issued expressing concern over the punishment of Dhaka-based British journalist David Bergman for contempt of court.
The statement “prima facie" appears to intend to "belittle the authority and institutional dignity of the tribunal in the mind of public,” the court said in an order.
The order further said it appeared that the statement "questions transparency and openness of the tribunal and also justification of the order" sentencing Bergman.
Led by Justice Obaidul Hassan, the tribunal asked the signatories to send the explanations through their lawyers or in person, and 11 of the signatories, now staying abroad, through the Bangladeshi missions within three days from the date of receiving the copy of the order.
Mustafizur Rahman, registrar of the tribunal, briefed the media about the order at his office.
On December 2 last year, the tribunal found Bergman, the editor (special reports) of the daily New Age, guilty of contempt for his comments posted to his personal blog and sentenced him to imprisonment "till rising of the court" on that day and fined him Tk 5,000.
Bergman published three blog posts in November 2011 and January 2013, one of them dwelling on the indictment order of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee where he questioned the Liberation War death tolls and two others on the verdict of Abul Kalam Azad, known as Bachchu Razakar. He was convicted over the last two write-ups.
Two weeks later, on December 20 last year, the daily Prothom Alo ran a report titled “50 people express concern over Bergman's punishment” on the basis of the statement, which observed that the tribunal's order would restrict the freedom of expression.
Some of the signatories were M Hafizuddin Khan, Shahdeen Malik, Rasheda K Chowdhury, Prof Imtiaz Ahmed, Badiul Alam Majumder, and Zafrullah Chowdhury. Later, one signatory, Khushi Kabir, withdrew her name.
Following the tribunal's orders, the Prothom Alo submitted the full statement, while Shahdeen Malik, whose name appears on the top of the statement, and Hana Shams Ahmed, the sender of the statement, provided the addresses of the signatories.
After receiving the addresses yesterday, the tribunal said the matter needed to be disposed of only after affording opportunity to the 49 citizens to "explain their statement and conduct".
TRIBUNAL-1
A prosecution witness yesterday corroborated the murder of five villagers by Razakars on the instructions of war crimes accused Sheikh Sirajul Haque alias Sirah Master in Bagerhat on November 22, 1971.
Subodh Chandra Karati, 61, the 13th witness, said the victims were Satish Chandra Mondal and Hashem Ali of Tengrakhali village, Babu Khan of Kachua, Nazrul Islam of Hajra Khali, and Monindra Nath Saha of Barui Khali, of Kachua upazila.
On Tuesday, freedom fighter Sheikh Fozor Ahmed, also the 12th witness, testified on the murders.
The five were shot dead on the bank of the Bhairab and thrown into the river, according to their testimonies.
Karati said he took training for the Liberation War from Fozor Ahmed and Sheikh Nurul Haque.
The witness was cross-examined before the proceeding was adjourned till today.
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