The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday directed the investigators to submit the final investigation reports on allegations against four top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in connection with crimes against humanity during 1971 by August 1.
The three-member tribunal headed by its Chairman Justice Nizamul Huq also fixed the same date for hearing on the bail petitions submitted by the Jamaat leaders through their lawyers on July 10.
The four leaders are party Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla.
Earlier in the day, the law enforcers produced the accused Jamaat leaders before the tribunal.
Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo submitted a petition before the tribunal, explaining their progress of investigation into the allegations.
He also prayed to the court to give investigators more time to complete the probe against them.
Opposing the time petition, Defence counsel Tajul Islam prayed to the tribunal to grant bail to the accused, as they have been detained for around one year.
Laws not fully int'l standard: HRW
International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) failed to make its laws and rules in full compliance with international standards, said Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based rights body, yesterday.
In a press release, HRW Asia director Brad Adams said, "While the amendments are a significant improvement, key problems still need to be fixed to ensure fair trials and avoid unnecessarily lengthy appeals."
HRW suggested some changes which include allowing an accused to question the tribunal's impartiality and to ensure that the definitions of "war crimes", "crimes against humanity", and "genocide" conform to international standards.
It also recommended ensuring that the defence is given adequate time to prepare instead of the current three weeks and to provide the accused the right to appeal during the trial instead of only at the end.
Meanwhile, the defence counsels at a press conference yesterday demanded changes in some constitutional provisions, relevant laws and rules to ensure justice and fair and acceptable trial of the accused in the 1971 crimes against humanity.
Their other demands include constitution of a separate appellate forum for hearing and disposing of appeals against the interlocutory orders passed by the ICT, allowing foreign counsels for both the prosecution and the defence, recording the entire trial proceedings, and allowing international observers.
Barrister Abdur Razzaq, chief of the defence team, presented a written statement at the conference held in the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium yesterday.
Source : The Daily Star
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