SC to hear Mojaheed, Nizami's petitions for lawyers Nov 2

The chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday sent two petitions of convicted war criminals Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed to its full bench for hearing on November 2.

Zainul Abedin, advocate on record for both Nizami and Mojaheed's cases, filed the two petitions on Sunday seeking directives from the SC on police to refrain from "harassing" Shishir Manir and Asaduddin, lawyers of Mojaheed and Nizami, and for allowing the lawyers to assist senior counsels in the cases. 

Asaduddin, a member of Nizami's defence team, was arrested on Thursday allegedly for planning subversive activities and placed on a two-day remand on Monday. On Thursday, a team of law enforcers searched the house of Shishir Manir, one of Mojaheed's lawyers.

Chamber judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain yesterday asked the attorney general to look into the matter so that Manir does not face any disturbance in assisting his seniors in Mojaheed's case.

Talking to The Daily Star, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said he would inform the matter to the law enforcing authorities.

The SC on November 2 is scheduled to hear a petition of Mojaheed seeking review of its judgement that upheld his death penalty for war crimes.

The following day, the apex court would hear the appeal of Nizami against the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that sentenced him to death for war crimes.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch expressed worry over the arrest of Asaduddin and said the Bangladesh authorities should either immediately charge him or release him.

The US-based rights body made the call in a report titled "Bangladesh: Charge or Release Detained Counsel".