War crimes investigators want special bench to hear appeals

Top officials of the International Crimes Tribunal’s investigation agency are frustrated with the sluggishness in disposal of appeals at the Supreme Court.

They have proposed formation of a special bench with three Appellate Division judges to hear the appeals in war crimes cases to overcome the situation as no appeals have been disposed of in around three years.

The agency’s Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Khan and Senior Coordinator Sanaul Haque briefed the media about the tribunal’s achievements and shortcomings on Monday on its 10th anniversary.

The Awami League government formed the tribunal when it returned to power in 2009. Any aggrieved side can move the top court after the tribunal delivers its verdicts.

Until now, BNP leaders Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Abdul Quader Molla, Md Kamaruzzaman and Mir Quasem Ali have been hanged after their appeals against death sentences issued by the tribunal had been dismissed.

Another Jamaat leader, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, is serving a jail term until death for the crimes against humanity he committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

Hannan said the victims of war crimes and justice seekers were unhappy that the cases were pending in the Appellate Division for a long time. “We also feel uneasy,” he said.

The investigator said formation of separate appellate bench for disposal of these cases like other international tribunals can resolve the problem.

“Now the matter depends on the government,” he said and advised the policymakers to form a three-member appellate bench for war crimes appeals.

Sanaul said no case was disposed of in around past three years.

“Maybe the Appellate Division is overburdened with cases. We just can’t ask them to gear up,” he said.

“These are not our failures, but shortcomings,” he added.

In nine years, the tribunal has convicted 87 war criminals in 35 cases while 28 are pending at the tribunal and 23 at the Supreme Court.

Some 34 convicted war criminals are on the run, according to Sanaul.