AG to lead appeal against Molla verdict

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam will lead the appeal against the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentencing Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Qauder Molla to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

“A strong prosecution panel will fight at the Appellate Division. I will be leading the panel. But I want a powerful panel to work here”, he told bdnews24.com on Saturday.

‘I’m working on to include former judges practicing in the Supreme Court and senior lawyers of the Supreme Court in this team,” the chief law officer of the government said.

He said that one or two members of the incumbent prosecution team were likely to be a part of the new team.

On Feb 5, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Molla was found guilty of committing crimes against humanity, including mass murder and rape, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal-2.

Thousands of youths revolted against the verdict terming it “too light”. Their revolt turned into a massive uprising at the Shahbagh intersection of the capital and has been continuing for 17 days in a row. It sparked similar protests across the country and abroad.

In the face of the spontaneous non-stop movement, the government has already passed the ‘International Crimes (Tribunals) (Amendment) Bill, 2013’ with provisions for trial of anti-liberation organisations, including the Jamaat, and giving equal rights to appeal against any verdict (of any war crimes case) by both the defence and the prosecution.

The appeal against the verdict on Molla is likely to take place this week.

The incumbent prosecution team, including two members of the rank of Attorney General and a few others at the level of Additional Attorney General, was described by many as “weak” in the light of the Molla verdict.

The government has already appointed Additional Attorney General MK Rahman and Barrister Tureen Afroz as prosecutors for the International Crimes Tribunals dealing with the war crime cases. MK Rahman has been made the coordinator between the investigation agency and the prosecution team.

Rahman has been given the status of Attorney General and Tureen Afroz the status of Additional Attorney General.