Tribunal asks media to be cautious

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday asked the media to be more cautious and responsible while reporting on trial proceedings.

"Events should be reported as it happens," Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the special tribunal, said before pronouncing the verdict of Mobarak Hossain.

The judge came up with the warning a day after some private television channels on Sunday aired breaking news about a tribunal order much before the tribunal actually gave it.

"When Mobarak's war crimes case was put on yesterday's [Sunday] cause list, several television channels gave breaking news instantly, saying the verdict against him would be delivered tomorrow [yesterday]," Justice Rahim said.

"But, the tribunal fixed the date for verdict later," he added.

"Many people have powerful sensory faculty; many others become experts covering court news day after day. But nothing should be done which challenges the jurisdiction of the tribunal."

"Today, I read a newspaper report that said the judges would deliver the judgement just at 11:00am. We wonder how the reporter realised that?" he asked.

"Everyone should be more cautious and responsible while reporting on court proceedings," Justice Rahim said.

Justice Jahangir Hossain, another member of the tribunal, asked the media: "If the judges had fixed November 30 [instead of Monday] for announcing the verdict, then what message public would get?"

On behalf of Law Reporters Forum (LRF), a platform of reporters who cover legal issues, Faruk Quazi, former president of the LRF, said the forum had already served notice asking its members to be more cautious while reporting on court proceedings.