Worried at contempt charge against it
US Ambassador Dan W Mozena yesterday expressed deep concern that Bangladeshi prosecutors have charged Human Rights Watch with contempt of court.
“We believe organisations such as Human Rights Watch have a critical role to play around the world in promoting respect for human rights,” he told reporters at his residence in the capital.
Mozena made the comments after a media briefing by US Congressman Sander Levin at his residence.
His remarks came a day after the prosecutors filed a petition with the international crimes tribunal, seeking contempt proceedings against HRW for its recent report on the verdict on former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam’s war crimes case.
On Friday, the US-based rights body claimed that Azam’s trial at the tribunal “had not met international standards” and was “deeply flawed”.
On Tuesday, a seven-member delegation of the prosecution submitted the petition to the registrar office of the tribunal.
In the petition, the prosecution urged International Crimes Tribunal-1 to initiate the contempt proceedings against HRW Asia Director Brad Adams, its associate for the Asia Division Storm Tiv, and its board of directors.
The prosecutors said the case against Azam had been pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and the HRW statement at this stage was tantamount to contempt.
On July 5, the tribunal sentenced the former Jamaat leader to 90 years’ jail when he was found guilty on all the five charges of crimes against humanity during the country’s war of independence.
-With The Daily Star input
