Law Week
WAR TRIAL
Kamaruzzaman to hang
A Dhaka tribunal on May 9 handed death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman for two wartime offences committed during the country's 1971 Liberation War. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 found him guilty of five out of seven charges leveled against him. The prosecution failed to prove rest two charges, it said while reading out an excerpt of the verdict. Besides death penalty for two charges, the assistant secretary general of Jamaat, which was instrumental to foil Bangladesh's struggle for independence, was awarded life-term imprisonment in two cases and 10-year jail for the other offence. Kamaruzzaman was known to have been a key organiser of the Al-Badr, an auxiliary force of then Pakistani army which planned and executed the killing of Bangalee intellectuals at the fag end of the Liberation War, according to historical records.-The Daily Star online edition May 9, 2013.
Yusuf involved in genocide
AKM Yusuf, infamous as the founder of the Razakar force, was “involved” in at least seven instances of genocide in Khulna during the Liberation War in 1971. The prosecution on May 8 submitted formal charges against war crimes suspect Yousuf to International Crimes Tribunal-1 through the registrar's office. One of the seven genocide charges brought against him says around 600-700 unarmed Hindus of Dakra village in Bagerhat were killed at a temple by Razakars as ordered by the suspect on May 21, 1971.
The 15 war crimes charges pressed by the prosecution include genocide, killing, looting, arson, religious conversion and deportation of people. The prosecution also filed a petition with the registrar's office seeking issuance of a warrant against Yousuf and sending him to jail. According to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973, tribunal-1 will pass an order whether the charges are taken into cognisance.-The Daily Star May 9, 2013.
Sayedee's War Crimes Trial
SC asks for concise report on death sentence
The Supreme Court on May 7 asked the defence to submit by May 16 a concise statement on the death penalty handed down to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee for his crimes against humanity in 1971. The Appellate Division of SC passed the order after Sayedee's counsel Abdur Razzaq prayed for time for submitting the concise statement. Sayedee on March 28 appealed to the SC against his sentence, while the government filed a separate appeal to the apex court, seeking the capital punishment for him on all the eight charges he was found guilty to. Earlier, On February 28, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sayedee to death on two charges but found him guilty to eight of the 20 charges.-The Daily Star May 8, 2013.
Torching Holy Quran
HC order on Ahmad Shafi May 13
The High Court will pass an order on May 13 on a writ petition seeking legal action against Hefajat-e Islam Ameer Shah Ahmad Shafi in connection with setting fire to the Holy Quran during his group's Dhaka blockade on May 5. Aminur Rashid Raju, a Supreme Court lawyer, on May 6 filed the writ petition with the HC saying that Hefajat activists had kept the capital inactive on Sunday at Shafi's direction. They also attacked different structures and set fires to the books, including the Holy Quran which hurt all the Muslims' religious sentiment across the world, the petitioner said. He prayed to the court to summon Ahmad Shafi before it for giving explanation over the incident. Home secretary, inspector general of police, and Ahmad Shafi have been made respondents to the petition. On May 7, the HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed fixed May 13 for passing an order on the petition after concluding hearing on the matter.- The Daily Star May 8, 2013.
HC summons two Sylhet doctors for explanation
The High Court on May 7 summoned two doctors of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College before it on May 20 for making “contradictory” post mortem reports about death of a man in Sylhet. The college's Forensic Department Head Md Abul Mansur, and its lecturer Shamsul Islam have to appear before the HC by 10:30am on that day to give their explanations about the reports on the death of one Hazi Shawkat Ali. On May 1 last year, Shawkat was murdered by some miscreants in Chhatak upazila of Sylhet, and his bother Shafiqul Haque filed a case accusing seven people with Chhatak police station on May 3.
Assistant Attorney General Gazi Mamun Rashid said the forensic department gave two post mortem reports – the first one on July 12 last year and another on September 20 -- about the death. The first report said the death of Shawkat was accidental in nature and the second one said the death was homicidal in nature, he said. - The Daily Star May 8, 2013.
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