Tag Archives: court access

10 Feb 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Gholam Azam cross-examination of DW-1

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs Gholam Azam – Cross-examination of DW-1 (Accused Not Present)
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs Salauddin Quader Chowdhury: Cross-examination of PW 17 in-camera (Accused Present)

A number of administrative matters were brought to the attention of the Tribunal, including allegations of harassment of Defense counsel, in-camera examination of the witness, and Chowdhury’s counsel.

The Tribunal then began addressing items in the cause list, beginning with the Gholam Azam case. The Prosecution continued its cross-examination of DW 1, Abdullahil Aman Azmi, who is the son of Gholam Azam and a former Army personnel.

After the mid-day break Defense counsel for Salauddin Qader Chowdhury began their cross-examination of prosecution witness 17 in-camera.

Continue reading →

7 Feb 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Kamaruzzaman re-examination of PW 16, Contempt against Jamaat

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman – Re-examination of prosecution witness  (Accused Not Present)

At the beginning of the day’s proceedings senior Defense counsel Mr Tajul Islam  expressed his concern and dissatisfaction regarding access and entry of defense counsel at the Tribunal gate.

The court then moved to Muhammad Kamaruzzaman’s case wherein the prosecution witness PW-16, Mr. Azabuddin Miah, was re-examined by the Prosecution. Mr. Miah is the Assistant Librarian of Bangla Academy (Newspaper Branch) and is testifying before the tribunal as to the authenticity of various newspapers collected from the Bangla Academy archive by the Investigation Officer. Continue reading →

4 Feb 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Chowdhury PW 18, Gholam Azam Cross Examination of DW 1

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs Salauddin Quader Chowdhury: Prosecution witness 18 direct testimony (Accused Present)
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs Professor Gholam Azam: Prosecution’s cross-examination of defense witness 1 (Accused not Present)

In the Salauddin Qader Chowdhury case, prosecution witness 18, Debabrata Sarkar, began and concluded his testimony before the Tribunal. Thereafter, the state appointed Defence Counsel sought adjournment and Tribunal adjourned the case until February 6. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury also requested that the Tribunal consider an application, to be filed by a family member, for his release on parole to attend the Janaga for his uncle.

After the lunch break, Prosecutor Haider Ali cross-examined defense witness 1, Abdullahil Aman Azmi , in the Gholam Azam case. The Tribunal then adjourned the proceedings until tomorrow, February 05. Continue reading →

29 Jan 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Contempt Proceedings and Kamaruzzaman documentary evidence

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1.  Warning of Contempt Proceedings against Daily Naya Diganta
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman: Hearing of application for submission of further documentary evidence (Accused Present)
  3. Contempt Proceedings Against Suranjit Sen Gupta (Accused Not Present)

Comments on Court Administration
Mr Abdul Baset Majumdar, senior counsel for Suranjit Sen Gupta, opened the day’s proceedings by expressing his dissatisfaction with the security clearance procedure at the entrance of the International Crimes Tribunal. He commented that the security often becomes onerous, especially for senior counsel who should be entitled to easier access. He acknowledged the necessity of security protocol but stated the methods and mechanisms employed should be more user-friendly. The Chairman of ICT-2 agreed with Mr Baset, stating that even his car was subject to significant checks at the gates and that the matter will be looked into. In the meantime the court asked counsel for both parties to cooperate.

The court then began hearing arguments in contempt proceedings and within the case of Kamaruzzaman. Continue reading →

7 January 2013: Tribunal 1 Daily Summary – Golam Azam and Sayedee

The Tribunal heard matters pertaining to the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs Golam Azam – Defens e Case-in-Chief 
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs Delwar Hossain Sayedee  – contempt proceedings brought by Defense

Summary
The Tribunal adjourned Golam Azam’s case for today on the grounds that the Defense will file a review application for the review off the Jan. 3rd order rejecting his request for retrial. They claimed that they did not receive a certified copy of the order and could not file the review application until they did.  Mizanul Islam, senior Defence Counsel, assured the Tribunal that the Defense would produce its witness Abdullahil Aman Azmi, Defense Witness #1m on 8 January 2013.

The Defense Counsels of Sayedee informed the Tribunal that they had filed contempt petitions against Masudur Rahman of  ATN News and against BTV. The Tribunal then fixed 9 January 2013 for the hearing of these applications.

Case: Chief Prosecutor vs Gulam Azam
Defence Witness #1,  Abdullahil Aman Azmi, began providing testimony on November 13, 2012 and has not yet completed. The Defense failed to produce him on a couple of occasions and the Tribunal at one point barred the Defense from producing further Defense Witnesses unless the Defense provided a satisfactory explanation for their failure. Today was fixed for argument in the matter.  Senior Defence Counse, Mizanul Islam, assured the Tribunal that the witness will be produced tomorrow and sought adjournment.

Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum raised an objection to the Defense’s request and said that the Defense had made similar excuses before and still failed to produce their witness. He asked the Tribunal to begin closing arguments or to impose a fine against the Defense.

The Tribunal then passed a written order stating that for the ends of justice the application filed by the Defence would be scheduled for hearing tomorrow on the ground that the Defense will file a review application of the order dated 03-01-2013. The order noted that Mizanul Islam had assured the Tribunal that the Defense would produce its witness on 8 January 2013.

Outside the Courtroom
Chairman A.T.M Fazle Kabir was absent from the Tribunal as he is on leave. Mizanul Islam informed  the Tribunal that today Defense attorneys were not allowed to take their cars inside the Tribunal gate. Justice Jahangir Hossain told him to wait until Chairman A.T.M Fazle Kabir returned to present the matter. Mizanul Islam further stated that the Defense had been told that only two family members of the accused will be allowed to visit the Tribunal. Accused Golam Azam was brought to the Tribunal but did not appear in the courtroom, reportedly because he was feeling sick.

Tribunal adjourned at 11:45am