The the verdict in the case of Chief Prosecutor vs. Kalam Azad was read out by the Chairman of ICT-2 in the ICT-1 room. Therefore Tribunal 1 did not convene until 12:30 and adjourned early at 1:30pm.
Today Tribunal 1 heard matters in the following cases:
NOTE TO THE READER: Today opposition parties called a hartal (strike) for half the day. AIJI’s researcher was unable to attend the proceedings because of the strike. (transport to and from court becomes quite dangerous during such strikes) These notes regarding the proceedings for today were compiled through other persons present at the tribunal including the Defense team and journalist coverage. The prosecution team was also asked to verify their accuracy but did not respond before publication The WCSC has done its best to insure the neutrality of the notes from today but cannot guarantee their accuracy. Please bring any discrepancies to our attention.
The Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:
Due to the half day hartal a junior member for the Defense requested adjournment until 2pm. The Tribunal granted his request and convened for the afternoon session.
Chief Prosecutor vs. Sayedee, Golam Azam, and Nizami
Yesterday, January 15, 2013 the hearing of the Review application began in the cases of Sayedee, Golam Azam and Nizami. Defense counsel Abdur Razzaq completed his arguments on behalf of the Accused.
Today Haider Ali gave a reply on behalf of the prosecution. He raised an objection regarding the Defense referring to the Order rejecting the retrial application as a ‘impugned order’ in their petition. He submitted that the Defense’s challenge of the usage of the term ‘alleged’ in reference to the skype conversations between the former chairman and Ziauddin was also objectionable. He submitted that as the Defense introduced the skype and e-mail communications, the burden was on them to prove their contents. He argued that the existence of the conversations is established but not their content. Continue reading
Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:
Today Tribunal 1 passed an order exonerating Sayedee’s Defense Counsel, Tajul Islam, Mizanul Islam and Tanvir Ahmed Al-Amin, from the contempt charge pending against them and withdrew the bar against Tajul Islam’s attendance in Tribunal 1.The Tribunal warned Tajul Islam to maintain the decorum of the Tribunal in future.
The Tribunal rejected an application filed by the Defense counsel on behalf of Gholam Azam on January 10, 2013, seeking to have the alleged skype documents and e-mails admitted as exhibits. The Order stated that in its January 3rd order rejecting the Defense applications for retrial the tribunal had already addressed the issue, stating that those documents are inadmissible as the product of illegal hacking.
On behalf of Chowdhury, Defense counsel Ahsanul Huq Hena continued his submission for removal of the conducting Prosecutor Zead-al-Malum. The Tribunal fixed January 20, 2013 for passing its order on the matter.
The Tribunal began hearing arguments in the Defense’s application for review of their order rejecting their request for retrial. Abdur Razzak completed his arguments on behalf of Gholam Azam, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and Motiur Rahman Nizami.
For more detail continue reading here: Continue reading
Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:
In the Sayedee case the Tribunal rejected the six applications filed by the Defense yesterday, January 13. The Tribunal stated that it had already given orders pertaining to the issues raised and that it would be redundant to deal with them again.
In the Chowdhury case, the court issued an order to show cause for contempt against Defense counsel Fakhrul Islam. The Tribunal also rejected an application from Defense counsel Ahsanul Huq Hena requesting the adjournment of the tribunal until the contempt proceedings against foreign lawyer Dr. Ziauddin (implicated in the Skype controversy) had been disposed of.
The Tribunal heard joint arguments from the defense for Chowdhury and Golam Azam in favor of their application to remove lead Prosecutor Zead al-Malum.
The Tribunal then heard arguments from the Golam Azam Defense team in favor of their application to allow the skype conversations and emails between the former Chairman Nizamul Hoque and foreign lawyer Dr. Ahmed Ziauddin to be exhibited before the court.
for more detail, continue reading Continue reading
Today ICT 1 heard matters in the following cases:
Defense counsel for of Golam Azam, Nizami and Sayedee filed applications for Review of the January 3, 2013 order denying retrial. Senior Defense lawyer Razzaq requested that the tribunal halt proceedings until the Review applications have been addressed by the court. Prosecutor Haider Ali argued that the tribunal should reject the applications summarily.
The Chairman of Tribunal-1 stated that the trials would continue as the court considered the Review applications. Razzaq then argued that in the interest of justice the Tribunal should hear the Review application before hearing the summing up of arguments in Sayedee’s case. This request was rejected and the Prosecution began their closing arguments as scheduled for that case.
The Bangladesh Trial Observer 