The defence counsels of top war crimes suspect Motiur Rahman Nizami on Thursday filed a petition seeking review of the tribunal order that kept the case for verdict.
The International Crimes Tribunal 1 on Wednesday closed the defence’s closing arguments for skipping the proceedings for the fourth consecutive day citing “personal difficulties” and gave the defence five days to submit their arguments in writing.
On Tuesday, the proceedings were adjourned and the tribunal gave the defence last chance and submit their part of closing arguments that they had begun on November 7. The defence, however, did not appear at the tribunal in the next few days which were hartal days.
The defence petition states that conducting lawyer Mizanul Islam could not perform his duty “due to his illness” and prayed for allowing them place the closing arguments. Tariqul Islam filed the petition to the tribunal registrar.
The Jamaat chief w as indicted on 16 charges of crimes against humanity including murder, rape, arson and incitement he had allegedly committed in Pabna and Dhaka during the 1971 Liberation War.