The International Crimes Tribunal 2 has found Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury guilty of contempt of court and imprisoned in the courtroom for criticising the punishment of Bangladesh-based UK journalist David Bergman.
The tribunal also ordered Zafrullah Chowdhury to stand on dock for an hour. He has been fined Tk5,000. If he fails to pay the fine, he will have to serve a sentence of one month.
However, it exonerated 22 other eminent citizens, who also issued a statement criticising the court’s verdict.
But the tribunal punished him as he was found guilty of committing contempt of court for the second time.
The exonerated others are: Shireen Huq, Ali Ahmed Ziauddin, Dr CR Abrar, Farida Akhter, Dr Bina D'Costa, Afsan Chowdhury, Rahnuma Ahmed, Dr Shahidul Alam, Leesa Gazi, Anu Mohammad, Lubna Marium, Dr Zarina Nahar Kabir, Shabnam Nadia, Mahmud Rahman, Nasreen Siraj Annie, Anusheh Anadil, Tibra Ali, Delwar Hossain, Masud Khan, Ziaur Rahman, Hana Shams Ahmed and Muktasree Chakma Sathi.
The ICT 2 on April 1 drew contempt proceedings against these 23, asking them to show cause why they shall not be punished for contempt of court.
Earlier on January 14, the ICT 2 issued a contempt notice against 49 "renowned citizens," who had expressed concern through a statement published in the daily Prothom Alo after British journalist and blogger David Bergman's punishment by the tribunal, asking them to explain their statement and conduct.
Based on their explanations, the tribunal on two past dates exonerated 25 from the allegation of committing contempt of court.
On April 1, the tribunal exonerated Rezaur Rahman, from the allegation as he tendered an unconditional apology to the court.
Bergman, a special reports' editor of daily New Age, received the punishment for committing contempt of court on December 2, 2014, for what the court deemed his irrelevant criticism of the trial process on his personal blog and for demeaning the court.
After that, Prothom Alo carried out a report under the heading "Concern of 50 eminent citizens over Bergman punishment" on December 20.
Later, rights activist Khushi Kabir, whose name was also there, withdrew her statement.