International Crimes Tribunal 1 has issued a notice asking Human Rights Watch why there would not be a contempt charge against the organisation for its report that attempted to question the trial, tarnished image of the tribunal and disgraced judge’s dignity by publishing a fabricated report.
The court ordered the Human Rights Watch (HRW) to submit the reply within three weeks.
The date of the next proceeding is September 30.
The court considered the responsibility of publishing the report went on the reporter and the publisher along with the advisers of the organisation, while court advised them to defend themselves being present before the court or by appointing the lawyer.
On August 20, the prosecution submitted a petition to the registrar of the International Crimes Tribunal to bring contempt charges against HRW for publishing a report terming the conviction of former Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Ghulam Azam “deeply flawed.”
In the petition, prosecution lawyers alleged that there were widespread allegations against the HRW that it published motivated and fabricated reports in the past, having been driven by various interests.
The petition said proving HRW wrong was a challenge for Bangladesh after having set up a unique instance of trying war crimes under existing laws.
On July 15, Tribunal 1 sentenced Ghulam Azam to 90 years’ jail for masterminding war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.
On August 16, the HRW body published a report titled “Bangladesh: Azam conviction based on flawed proceedings” on its website.
The report said: “Human Rights Watch’s concerns about the Azam trial include: judges improperly conducted an investigation on behalf of the prosecution; collusion and bias among prosecutors and judges; failure to take steps to protect defence witnesses; changes in the trial court panel; and lack of evidence to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”
