Expressing satisfaction over the functioning of International Crimes Tribunals, Stephen J Rapp, the visiting US Ambassador-at-Large for war crimes issues, yesterday said the judges had been able to work neutrally without pressure and politics.
Talking to reporters after meeting the judges of the two tribunals, he said it was important that the judges were able to do their job without pressure and politics.
Rapp also praised judges’ bold and impartial role in discharging their judicial functions and said he salutes their service and courage.
He underpinned the US support to the trial for the 1971 crimes against humanity and said the process had moved properly.
Rapp viewed that both the prosecution and the defence had got equal opportunity to deal with their cases by providing evidences through witnesses and documents.
Rapp also said it was important for Bangladesh to try the perpetrators of the atrocities committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 War of Liberation.
The good part of the trial would serve as examples for other countries of the world, he remarked.
Rapp arrived at the tribunals at the Old High Court building around 1:30pm and held meeting with the judges.
Earlier, Rapp met the ICTs investigation agency members at its Dhanmondi office in the capital.
He arrived in Dhaka yesterday morning on a three-day visit, his 5th to Bangladesh since war crimes trial began.
He is expected to meet the law minister, foreign minister and foreign secretary today before holding a press briefing.