DHAKA: The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Tuesday ruled that British journalist David Bergman was guilty of contempt for demeaning the tribunal through derogatory post on his blog.

The court ordered him to pay a fine of 5,000 taka or go to prison for seven days. 

The ICT-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hasan passed the order sentencing him “simple imprisonment until the rising of the court.”

Bergman and his wife noted lawyer Barrister Sara Hossain were present at the tribunal. Bergman, a special correspondent of English daily New Age, is also son-in-law of Dr. Kamal Hossain.

Earlier, High Court lawyer Advocate Abul Kalam Azad filed the contempt of court allegation against David Bergman for his derogatory comments on the ICT-2 in his blog.   

Sources in the tribunal said Bergman had been warned once before by the tribunal.  

Regarding framing crimes against humanity charges against Delwar Hossain Sayedee by the tribunal on October 2, 2011, ‘The New Age’ published Bergman’s write-up titled ‘A crucial period for ICT’ in its editorial page.

The tribunal had issued a show cause notice against reporter David Bergman, The New Age editor Nurul Kabir and publisher ASM Shahidullah Khan for contempt of court.

After a hearing, on February 19, 2012, the tribunal issued a warning to David Bergman.

At that time, the tribunal upheld the contempt of court charge but the accused were let off with a warning.

Deputy Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal, Arunabha Chakraborty, confirmed the new move by High Court lawyer Abul Kalam Azad to prosecute Bergman.

According to the new plea, journalist Bergman, on his own website (bangladeshwarcrimes.blogspot.com), released several controversial articles like ‘Azad Judgment analysis -1: In absentia trial & Defense inadequacy’ and ‘Azad Judgment analysis -II: Tribunal’s assumption’.

BDST: 1335 HRS, DEC 02, 2014