Zafrullah gets reprieve in contempt case

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury has got a reprieve in the contempt case against him for 'derogatory remarks' against the war crimes tribunal.

The 4-member appeals bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha ruled on Tuesday that Zafrullah not be punished on charges of contempt because he has tendered an unconditional apology.

“Conviction is quashed”, is what the top court said in its order.

But the bench cautioned Zafrullah, said his lawyer Abdur Rezak Khan.

“He issued an unconditional apology and the court accepted his plea,” Khan told bdnews24.com.

On Jun 10, the International Crimes Tribunal found Zafrullah guilty of contempt for his remarks about the punishment given to British national and journalist David Bergman.

He was made to stand in the dock for an hour and fined Tk 5,000. Zafrullah was to spend a month in prison if he failed to pay the fine.

The Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder moved the Supreme’s Court Chamber Judge against the order, when it stayed the fine until July 5 and forwarded the matter to the Appellate Division.

On Monday, when the matter was being heard by the appeals bench, his lawyers told the court that Zafrullah will file a plea issuing unconditional apology.

The court had then fixed Tuesday to hear the matter.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, who stood for the state during Tuesday’s hearing, told bdnews24.com: “He will not have to pay the fine.”

Earlier, Zafrullah had been pulled up by the tribunal for his remarks in a talk show.

But another contempt charge against him is pending at the war crimes tribunal for his remarks on its judges made before the media on Jun 10.