Staff Reporter:
The two International Crimes Tribunals (ICTs) are awaiting the pronouncement of judgments in two more cases involving crimes against humanity committed during the July Mass Uprising in 2024.
The two tribunals have so far delivered verdicts in six high-profile cases.
The verdict in the crimes against humanity case against seven fugitive accused, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, could be delivered any day now. After completion of hearings and arguments from both sides, a three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, has kept the case waiting for verdict.
The other accused in the case are Awami League Joint General Secretary A F M Bahauddin Nasim, former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan.
Meanwhile, the crimes against humanity case against four people, including Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, over the killing of six people in Kushtia during the Mass Uprising has also been kept waiting for verdict by the second tribunal.
Apart from Mahbubul Alam Hanif, the other accused in the case are Kushtia district Awami League President Sadar Uddin Khan, General Secretary Azgar Ali and city Awami League General Secretary Ataur Rahman Ata. All the accused are absconding.
In the meantime, in the verdicts in six crimes against humanity cases, the two International Crimes Tribunals sentenced 16 accused to death and 11 others to life imprisonment, while handing down varying terms of imprisonment to the remaining accused.
Speaking to about the verdicts delivered by the two tribunals over the past two years, Chief Prose-cutor Md Aminul Islam said the commitment to ensure justice for those killed and injured in the July 2024 Mass Uprising, for which the tribunals were reconstituted, has been largely fulfilled through the six verdicts delivered by the two tribunals so far.
“Delivering verdicts in six cases within two years is certainly exemplary. Besides, two more cases are now awaiting verdicts after completion of hearings. We expect the maximum punishment for the perpetrators,” he said.
