SQ Chy brings sedition charges against judges
BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury yesterday made allegations of sedition against the judges of International Crimes Tribunal claiming they have made the rules of procedure of the court ignoring the constitutional provisions and thus destroyed his confidence in the charter.
He petitioned the court to make the allegations and seek an adjournment to the court's proceedings against him and exoneration from war crimes charges.
The tribunal is dealing with the cases of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
Headed by Justice Nizamul Huq, the three-judge tribunal fixed Tuesday for hearing the petition.
Salauddin in the petition stated that the tribunal has made the rules of procedure under the amended International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973, disregarding the constitutional provisions and destroying his confidence in the constitution.
As per the country's charter, any act of denting the confidence, belief or reliance of citizens in the constitution is a sedition, which is a punishable offence, he argued adding, only the Supreme Court can make the rules of procedure under any law as per the constitution.
The charter does not allow a High Court judge to become a judge of the tribunal. Thus, the two judges of the tribunal Justice Nizamul Huq and Justice ATM Fazle Kabir cannot perform as the judge of the tribunal as they are judges of the High Court, mentioned the petition.
Justice AKM Zaheer Ahmed is the other judge of the tribunal.
All the three judges are fully aware of the constitutional provisions, but they have made the rules of procedure defying the constitution, barrister Fakhrul Islam, a counsel for Salauddin, told The Daily Star.
Produced before the court yesterday, Salauddin himself made a statement on the contents of his petition before the tribunal.
The court directed Salauddin's counsels to collect copies of charge-related documents from the office of the tribunal registrar.
A group of pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers led by Supreme Court Bar Association President Khandker Mahbub Hossain were present in the courtroom.
Contacted, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam termed the contents of SQ Chowdhury's petition ridiculous.
“He has filed the petition to delay the proceedings of the court,” said the attorney general adding, the accused can move to the SC against the tribunal if he has any grievance.
Asked for their comments on the petition, eminent constitutional experts barrister Rafiqul Huq, Dr M Zahir and barrister Rokonuddin Mahmud refused to make any comment.
Law enforcers detained the BNP lawmaker on December 15 last year.
Prosecutors on November 14 submitted formal charges against Salauddin citing his involvement in 24 incidents of crime against humanity including killing, genocide, abduction and torture.
Four days later, the tribunal took into cognisance the war crimes charges against him and fixed yesterday to pass further directives.
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