International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-1) is set to hear arguments on contempt charge against New York-based rights organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday for raising questions about the verdict against Jamaat-e-Islami leader professor Ghulam Azam. In response to the contempt petition filed by the prosecution against HRW, the tribunal-1 decided to hear the contempt matters, prosecutor Advocate Sultan Mahmud Simon, said on Wednesday.
Prosecution submitted the contempt petition against HRW on August 20.
Barrister Tureen Afroz on behalf of the prosecution moved forward the petition to the registrar of the tribunal, seeking legal action against the New York-based organisation.
HRW in a statement on August 16 said the trial of Ghulam Azam at the ICT-1 was deeply flawed and did not meet the international standards. It also expressed concern over the failure to take steps to protect defence witnesses.
Prosecution also sought an end to the publicity of the HRW’s statements about the tribunal activities in its petition. It requested the tribunal to initiate legal proceedings against HRW for posting false and unfounded information in its website about the tribunal activities.
Brad Adams, executive director of the HRW in Asia, his associate Storm Tiv and board of directors of the organisation were made respondents in the prosecution’s petition.
-With The Independent input
