Tag Archives: Tribunal 2

13 August 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Hartal Coverage of Khan and Mueen Uddin PW 10

Today a nation-wide hartal was called in response to the revocation of Jamaat’s registration as a political party on 2 August 2013. Jamaat postponed the hartal in order to allow people time to return home from Eid related travels. Today’s coverage is therefore gathered from media sources and from conversations with the Prosecution and the Defense teams.

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mueen Uddin – in absentia

Tribunal 2 recorded the testimony of Prosecution witness 10 Mr Iftekhar Haider Chowdhury, a nephew of martyred intellectual Professor Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury. The witness gave testimony in support of Charge-7.  Continue reading →

12 August 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Reappointment of Justice Shahinur Islam

Tribunal 2 was not in session today. However, Justice Md. Shahinur Islam was officially re-appointed to Tribunal 2 after having been sworn in as an additional Supreme Court Judge on 5 August 2013.  Justice Md Shahinur Islam began serving as a member of the International Crimes Tribunal 2 on 25th March 2012. Recently on 31st July, 2013, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court Division (HCD) of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, in accordance with the nomination of Mr Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. As per Article 95(1) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice. Article 98 of the Constitution authorizes the appointment of one or more duly qualified persons to be Additional Supreme Court Judges. Accordingly, After taking the oath on 5 August 2013 Justice Md. Shahinur Islam was officially considered discharged from his previous position as a Member of Tribunal 2. Today he was reappointed to the Tribunal. 

Prior to his previous appointment as a Member of Tribunal 2, Justice Shahinur was the Registrar of the International Crimes Tribunal. He joined the judiciary of Bangladesh as a Judge in April, 1983 and was promoted to the position of District Judge in January 2001

5 August 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Qaisar Bail Application Granted

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Syed Mohammad Qaisar

Today Tribunal 2 granted bail to Mr Syed Mohammad Qaisar. This is only the second time either of the two Tribunals have granted bail to a suspect. Defendant Abdul Alim is also free on bail. All other suspects have been denied bail.

On 22 July 2013 the Tribunal had heard Qaisar’s bail application and instructed the jail authorities to submit a report on the availability of adequate health care facilities for the 73 year old war crimes suspect. Today the Tribunal announced that having reviewed the report it had reached the conclusion that the health of the detained suspect is such that he should be enlarged on bail, subject to strict adherence on his part to conditions imposed by the Tribunal. The following conditions apply to his bail:

  1. The suspect shall not communicate with any political leaders
  2. He shall refrain from making any comments to the media
  3. There shall be no form of intimidation of the potential witnesses of war crimes
  4. The suspect shall stay in his Banani residence and shall not go anywhere without prior permission of the tribunal
  5. He must cooperate with the investigation agencies
  6. A bail bond of Taka 1 Lac ( Taka 100,000) shall be submitted immediately on his behalf

The Tribunal warned that bail would be revoked if there was any violation of any of the conditions.

22 August 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Khan & Mueen Uddin PW 16, Alim Cross-Examination of PW 35

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Ashrafuzzaman Khan & Chowdhury Mueen Uddin
  2. Chief Prosecutor vs. Abdul Alim

In the case against Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, who are being jointly tried in absentia, the Tribunal heard the testimony of Prosecution witness 16. Both the examination-in-chief and cross-examination were completed today. The testimony of Prosecution witness 16 supports Charge 6, which alleges that they were responsible for the abduction and killing of Professor Gias Uddin Ahmed, among other intellectuals.

In the case against Abdul Alim the Defenst resumed its cross-examination of the Investigation Officer, Prosecution witness 35. The Defense’s questioning focused on the investigation procedure followed by the Officer and the authenticity of various documents submitted into evidence.  Continue reading →

21 August 2013: ICT-2 Daily Summary – Ashrafuzzaman Khan & Chowdhury Mueen Uddin PW 15

Today the Tribunal heard matters in the following cases:

  1. Chief Prosecutor vs. Ashrafuzzaman Khan & Chowdhury Mueen Uddin

Tribunal 2 heard the testimony of Prosecution witness 15 in the case against Ashrafuzzaman Khan and Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, both of whom are being tried in absentia. The testimony of the witness is relevant to Charge 6 of the case which alleges that the Defendants led a group of armed Al-Badr men in abducting Professor Gias Uddin Ahemed, Professor dr. Serajul Haque Khan, Dr. Md. Mortuja, Dr. Abul Khayer, Dr. Foyzul Mohiuddin, Professor Rashidul Hassan, Professor Anwar Pasha, and Professor Dr. Santosh Bhattacharrjee from their residences on Dhaka University campus. These victims are among the targets of the ‘intellectual killings’ that occurred just before the surrender of the Pakistani Army. The Defendants are charged with abduction as a crime against humanity, or in the alternative, with extermination as a crime against humanity, or in the alternative murder as a crime against humanity. Both modes of joint criminal enterprise and superior command responsibility are alleged as modes of liability. Continue reading →