REPORT ON GHULAM AZAM VERDICT
ICT serves HRW show cause notice
A tribunal in Dhaka on Monday issued a show cause notice asking Human Rights Watch (HRW) to explain why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against it for its report on the verdict in former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam’s war crimes case.
The three-member panel of International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir asked the New York-based rights organisation to reply in three weeks.
On August 16, HRW claimed that the trial of Ghulam Azam at the ICT-1 had been “deeply flawed” and “it had not met the international standards”.
It said the “judges had improperly conducted an investigation on behalf of the prosecution” and expressed concern over “collusion and bias among prosecutors and judges”.
The tribunal on Monday also fixed September 30 for passing further order in this regard.
Board of directors of HRW, its Asia Director Brad Adams and Associate for the Asia Division Storm Tiv have been made respondents to the order.
The tribunal also asked the foreign ministry to take necessary steps to serve the show cause notices to the respondents.
If proved, the accused would have to serve one year in jail or pay Tk 5,000 as fine or both.
On July 5, the ICT-1 awarded Ghulam Azam 90-year jail finding him guilty in all five charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.
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