ICT-2 asks NY Times to explain

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 today sought an explanation from The New York Times for a published editorial criticising the punishment the tribunal handed down to Dhaka-based British journalist David Bergman for contempt of court.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hassan asked the newspaper authorities to submit their explanation by February 20 through the Bangladesh mission in New York, USA.
The next hearing has been set for February 23.
The internationally acclaimed newspaper published an editorial titled “Muzzling Speech in Bangladesh” on December 23, 2014 saying that Bergman’s sentence should be overturned immediately.
The court on December 2, 2014 sentenced him to imprisonment till rising of the court and fined him Tk 5,000 for two articles that he posted on his personal blog regarding the trial of fugitive war criminal Abul Kalam Azad, also known as Bachchu Razakar.
The court also deferred the date of passing order regarding the statements issued by 49 eminent personalities over Bergman punishment to February 23.
The court was scheduled to pass the order tomorrow (Thursday).