Today, Tribunal 2 issued its sixth verdict, concluding the case of Chief Prosecutor vs. Ashrafuzzaman Khan alias Naeb Ali Khan & Chowdhury Mueen Uddin. The two have been tried jointly for the same offences, and the Tribunal found both of them guilty on all eleven charges. Mueen and Ashraf have both remained outside of Bangladesh, and have been tried in absentia.

The Charges and the Verdict:

• Charge 1: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against journalist Seraj Uddin Hossain, an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 2: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Syed Nazmul Haque, the chief reporter of Pakistan Press International (PPI) and a staff reporter of the Columbia Broadcasting Services, who was an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 3: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against A N M Golam Mostafa, who was the chief reporter of the Daily Purbadesh and was an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.  
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 4: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity,  or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Nizam Uddin Ahmed, the then General Manager of PPI and a reporter of BBC, who was an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.  
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 5: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity,  or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against journalist Selina Parveen, who was the then Editor of The Daily Shilalipi and an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 6: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity,  or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against (1) Professor Gias Uddin Ahmed, (2) Professor Dr Serajul Haque Khan, (3) Dr. Md. Mortuja, (4) Dr. Abul Khayer, (5) Dr. Foyzul Mohiuddin, (6) Professor Rashidul Hassan, (7) Professor Anwar Pasha and (8) Professor Dr. Santosh Bhattacharjee, all of whom were faculty members of Dhaka University and were unarmed civilians belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 7: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Professor Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury of the University of Dhaka, an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 8: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity,  or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Professor A.M. Munir Chowdhury, who was a professor of the Bangla Department of the Dhaka University and an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 9: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against journalist Shahidullah Kaiser, who was the Joint Editor of The Daily Sangbad and an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 10: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Dr. Md. Fazle Rabbi, who was a Professor of Clinical Medicine and Cardiology and an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

• Charge 11: Abetting and complicity to the commission of the offence of abduction as Crime Against Humanity, or in the alternative extermination as Crime Against Humanity,  or in the alternative murder as Crimes Against Humanity committed against Dr. Alim Chowdhury, an unarmed civilian belonging to the intellectual group. Charged under Section 3(2)(a) (g) (h) and for liability under Section 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.
  • Found Guilty.

Verdict on Sentencing: Having found the two Accused guilty on all the charges, the Court condemned them each to a single sentence of death for all the crimes listed in all the charges.  The Court ordered that they be hanged by the neck until they are dead.

Upon pronouncing the verdict, the Tribunal took special care to stress that the entire series of incidents pertaining to the targeted killing of the intellectuals should to be considered a shameful episode in the history of Bangladesh. In its final Judgment, the Court further opined that it is a great shame upon the nation that previous governments headed by President Ziaur Rahman and H.M. Ershad had allowed Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and other perpetrators to visit their native villages under police protection during their respective tenures.

The full judgment can be found here: Mueen & Ashrafuzzaman-Full Judgment