Tag Archives: Tribunal 1

11 March 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Gholam Azam Closing Arguments, Mubarak Hossain Pre-Trial Proceedings

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs Gholam Azam: Defense Closing Arguments (Accused Not Present)
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs Mubarak Hossain: Pre-Trial Proceedings, Cognizance of Charges to be Announced Tomorrow (Accused Not Present)

On March 11, 2013 Defense counsel Mizanul Islam continued the Closing Arguments for the 2nd consecutive day. He submitted arguments regarding Prosecution witnesses 16 and 1. Thereafter, Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of the Gholam Azam’s case until tomorrow, 12 March 2013.

The case against Mubarak Hossain was listed in the Cause List as being scheduled for Cognizance. The Chairman of Tribunal 1 asked the Prosecution to provide the Formal Charge, list of witnesses and other relevant documents to Mubarak Hossain’s Defense counsel, as the Prosecution admitted that they have not yet served the documents to the Defense. Prosecutor Haider Ali drew the Tribunal’s attention to the Cause List where the case was listed as a miscellaneous case instead of a separate case. Thereafter the Tribunal decided to give its order tomorrow (12 March 2013) regarding the Tribunal’s cognizance of the charges.

Continue reading

10 March 2013: ICT 1 Daily Summary – Gholam Azam Defense Closing Arguments

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Gholam Azam – Defense Closing Arguments

Today’s proceedings began with a Defense application for a week long adjournment. Senior Defense counsel, Mizanul Islam, cited the death of his mother in-law and travel schedule as reason, stating that he was not prepared to begin Defense Closing Arguments. The Tribunal rejected the application and required that Defense Counsel Mizanul Islam begin the summing up. The Defense began their Closing Arguments and continued until 11:45am. At that time they again sought adjournment and Tribunal allowed the prayer, adjourning the case until tomorrow, 11 March 2013.

Continue reading

7 March 2013: ICT 1 and 2 Daily Summary – Brief Summary due to Hartal

A Hartal was announced for today, 7 March 2013. Due to security concerns our researchers are unable to attend proceedings on hartal days. We have compiled the following brief summary from media coverage and communication with the Defense and Prosecution.

TRIBUNAL 1

7 March 2013
Chief Prosecutor vs. Gholam Azam
A Junior Defense counsel for Gholam Azam sought adjournment. Prosecutor Zead-al-Malum objected to the request and requested that the Tribunal fix the date for pronouncing the verdict without continuing with the Defense’s Closing Arguments. The Tribunal accepted the Defense’s request and adjourned the Gholam Azam case until March 10, 2013.

TRIBUNAL 2

7 March 2013
[We are compiling Tribunal 2’s Summary and will post it here as soon as it is complete.]

6 March 2013: ICT-1 Daily Summary – Nizami Cross-Examination of PW 2

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs Motiur Rahman Nizami: Cross-Examination of PW 2 (Accused Present)

Today Defense Counsel Mizanul Islam finished cross-examining Prosecution witness 2, Zahir Uddin Jalal alias Bichchu Jalal. After concluding the cross-examination Tribunal adjourned the proceeding of Nizami’s case until March 19, 2013.

Continue reading

27 Feb 2013: Gholam Azam Closing Arguments, Sayedee Verdict for the 28th

This is a brief summary of today’s proceedings. A more detailed post will follow.

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Gholam Azam
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Delwar Hossain Sayedee

The Tribunal heard the Prosecution’s Closing Arguments for the  8th consecutive day. The Prosecution submitted his arguments in support of Charge 5, torture and murder of Sub Inspector of Police Siru Miah as a Crime against Humanity.  This concluded the Prosecution’s arguments based onthe  charges. Thereafter Prosecutor Zead-al-Malum sought adjournment and Tribunal adjourned the proceedings of Ghulam Azam until March 3, 2013.

Today the Sayedee case appearedas Item 2 on the cause list. After hearing the Closing Arguments in the Gholam Azam case the Chairman of Tribunal 1, ATM Fazle Kabir, stated that on January 29, 2013 the Tribunal had completed hearing Closing arguments in the Sayedee case and the case had been under consideration awaiting verdict since then. He announced that the Final Judgment has been prepared and Tribunal will deliver its verdict tomorrow, February 28, 2013.

This will be the third  judgment issued by the International Crimes Tribunal, the first to be issued by Tribunal 1. It follows the verdicts in the Kalam Azad and Qader Molla cases.

It should be noted that after the announcement of the impending verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami has called a hartal (strike) for tomorrow in protest of what they expect to be an unfair verdict against Sayedee, a party leader. In light of the energy behind the ongoing Shabagh movement (which was sparked by the sentence given in the Qader Molla case and is unified around calling for the death penalty against alleged war criminals) and opposition to the trials by Jamaat-e-Islami, there is potential for significant demonstrations and violence tomorrow.