Upon a defence plea, the war crimes tribunal yesterday deferred the deposition of first prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam.
The International Crimes Tribunal 1 set December 26 for the witness after the defence submitted that they needed time to start the case.
They said Shishir Monir and Saidur Rahman would not continue as conducting defence lawyers. The new counsels are Abdus Sobhan Tarafder, Abdus Salam Miah and Mujahidul Islam Shahin.
On the new date, the witness will testify in camera.
On November 12, the tribunal indicted Azhar on six charges of crimes against humanity he had allegedly committed in Rangpur during the 1971 Liberation War.
Meanwhile, the tribunal 2 set January 7 to deliver order on two lawyers from Bagerhat Judge’s Court Sheikh Abdul Wadud and Shamima Akhter over an affidavit they had endorsed for a prosecution witness in a war crimes case.
Shamima appeared at the tribunal yesterday and sought unconditional apology like Wadud. Senior Supreme Court lawyer AY Mashiuzzaman pleaded for his clients.
The same tribunal yesterday deferred until December 26 the defence hearing on charge framing against war crimes suspect Syed M Qaisar. The order came following a defence plea seeking time.
Defence lawyer Abdus Sobhan Tarafder said they needed time to scrutinise the prosecution documents and for preparation to submit a discharge petition.
The prosecution submitted 18 formal charges against Qaisar on November 10 that include killing, extermination, enslavement, deportation, abduction, confinement, torture, looting, arson and assisting in rape.
