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Three journalists, including then National Press Club General Secretary Shyamol Dutta, have been produced before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a crimes-against-humanity case over allegations of inciting the suppression of students and members of the public during the July mass uprising.
They were brought before the International Crimes Tribunal at around 10:30am on Monday (August 24). A hearing on the matter is scheduled to take place today.
The hearing is expected to be held before a judicial panel of Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.
The other two journalists are former Ekattor Television Editor-in-Chief Mozammel Babu and former Chief Reporter and presenter of the same channel, Farzana Rupa. Shyamol Dutta was also the editor of Bhorer Kagoj.
The prosecution said it had sought production warrants for the three journalists on August 17 in a crimes-against-humanity case. Following the request, the tribunal ordered that they be produced before it today. The prosecution will also seek to show all three as arrested in the case.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had organised a press conference on July 14, 2024. He alleged that several journalists made provocative statements while purportedly asking questions at the press conference. In response, Hasina referred to the protesters as “children of Razakars” and “grandchildren of Razakars.”
He said asking questions at a press conference is part of a journalist’s responsibility. However, according to the prosecution, certain journalists regularly attended the then prime minister’s press conferences and the statements they made were not questions but praise for the prime minister.
The prosecutor alleged that some of their remarks were provocative suggestions intended to prompt the then prime minister to make specific statements, and that this contributed to the commission of the alleged crimes.
The prosecution said the case is not part of any previous case. Rather, it is a newly filed miscellaneous case, commonly referred to as a “misc case,” involving allegations of provocative incitement on July 14. The case is still under investigation.