War criminals' exclusion logical

The demand, made by youths and organisations including Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, for constitutional amendment to disqualify war criminals for presidential clemency is logical, said National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman yesterday.
Who knows, a party might come tomorrow and declare a general clemency, he told a discussion marking the first anniversary of “Manobadhikar Khobor”, a monthly rights magazine, in the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
On the latest amendments made to International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, he said the state and the defence got equal facilities. “Now, the tribunal has been elevated to international status.”
The amendments gave the opportunity to the government to appeal against inadequate sentence and to the tribunal to try organisations for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
Ruling out the possibility of controversies, he said nothing new was inserted and that it was the second standardised tribunal after the Nuremberg Tribunal, where people who committed war crimes during World War II were tried.
The nation is not willing to accept any compromise and so the state must ensure the highest punishment, he added.
Eminent jurist Barrister Rafique-ul Huq said war criminals should be awarded capital punishment but through a proper trial.