Contempt charge: SC exempts Zafruallah from fine

The Supreme Court has exempted Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafruallah Chowdhury from Tk5,000 fine in a judgment of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) for contempt of court. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, passed the order on Tuesday. Abdur Razek Khan, lawyer of Dr Zafruallah, appeared for the petitioner while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the government. The SC cancelled the fine of Dr Zafruallah as he prayed for mercy unconditionally and the court also issued him a warning, said his lawyer. On Monday, the bench fixed the day (Tuesday) to deliver its verdict on a petition filed by the Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder against the judgment of ICT-2. On June 10, the ICT-2 found Dr Zafruallah Chowdhury guilty of contempt of court for criticising the punishment of British journalist David Bergman and punished him keeping him standing in the court for an hour and fined him Tk 5,000. The court said he will have to suffer in jail for one month if he fails to pay the fine in seven days. However, the Appellate Division on June 16 after hearing a petition filed by Dr Zafrullah withheld the judgment of the ICT-2 fining the Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder for contempt of court. On January 14, the ICT-2 issued a contempt notice against 49 people who had expressed concern through a statement published on the daily Prothom Alo over the tribunal’s judgment to punish British citizen and journalist David Bergman of contempt of court. Based on their explanations, the tribunal on two past dates exonerated 25 from the allegation of contempt of court. The ICT-2 on April 1 drew contempt proceedings against the 23 noted citizens. Bergman, special reports’ editor of daily New Age, got the punishment for committing contempt of court on December 2, 2014, for his criticism of the trial process on his personal blog and thus demeaning the court.– Dhaka, Jul 28 (UNB)