Life-term for hasina, kamal: ICT prosecution to seek death penalty

The prosecution is preparing to appeal to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking to upgrade the International Crimes Tribunal-1's life sentences for deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a crimes-against-humanity case linked to the July uprising.

On November 17, the ICT-1 sentenced the two to death on one charge and to imprisonment until natural death on another.

"We have been reviewing the judgement and primarily decided to seek enhancement of the life terms to death penalty," Prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim told reporters yesterday.

Meanwhile, the ICT-2 yesterday heard a review petition filed by Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Hasanul Haq Inu challenging the charge-framing order against him without any defence lawyer present.

During the hearing, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam requested the court to dismiss the petition.

Contacted, Inu's lawyer Md Munsurul Hoque Chowdhury told The Daily Star that such matters are usually heard on scheduled dates and that neither he nor his juniors were informed of the early hearing.

Tajul later told reporters that the application not only questioned the legality of the July uprising and the legitimacy of the interim government but also used language the prosecution deemed contemptuous.

He said the petition called the uprising "so-called" and claimed the interim government lacked authority to amend the ICT Act, the remarks he termed "reckless" and "tantamount to treason". He insisted that the government formed through an uprising holds full constitutional authority to legislate via presidential ordinances.

Tajul argued that the other grounds raised, including whether the allegations amount to crimes against humanity, are matters for trial rather than review, and he accused the defence of delaying the trial.

The decision from the court will come later, said the prosecution.

The ICT-2 also completed testimony and cross-examination of the 21st prosecution witness in the Abu Sayed murder case. The tribunal set December 9 for the next hearing in the case.

In another development, the ICT-1 ended the investigation officer's cross-examination in the case filed over the killings of six people in the capital's Chankharpul.

Defence counsel for accused Arshad Hossain yesterday filed a petition to produce three defence witnesses before the tribunal.

As the prosecution claimed that the application was not formally submitted and two members of the tribunal were absent, the presiding judge refused to hear it, said Prosecutor Mizanul Islam.

The tribunal also fixed November 30 to hear the defence plea, he added.