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| Bangladesh |
| Sayedee's lawyers boycott hearing |
| 2011-11-17 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Counsels for Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi ...Islamic orator and politician. He was a former Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2008, and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami... walked out of the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday as its chairman, Justice Nizamul Huq, sat for hearing Sayedee's petition to review the tribunal's decision of framing charges against him. Walking out of court isn't the best way to plead your case... After the defence counsels walked out, the court rejected the review petition, considering that it was not moved before it. See what I mean? The three-member tribunal termed the walkout "unwarranted" and "unbecoming". "Bailiff! Whack his pee-pee!" [WHACK!] "Ow-w-w-w-w-w!" The tribunal on October 3 framed 20 charges against Sayedee including genocide, killing, rape, arson, abduction and torture in 1971. Sayedee filed a petition on October 27 with the tribunal for reviewing the order. The tribunal then fixed yesterday for hearing the review petition. Defence counsel Tajul Islam told news hounds that they will continue boycotting the tribunal till Justice Nizamul abstains from the trial proceedings or the tribunal disposes of a defence petition seeking explanation as to how he could continue the task as the chairman. The defence counsels submitted the petition before the tribunal through its Deputy Registrar Mesbahuddin Ahmed in the morning. The prosecutors told news hounds that they are considering taking legal action against the counsels for Sayedee, as they have committed contempt of court by walking out of the tribunal proceedings. Prosecutor Zead-Al Malum said there is no provision in the law or the constitution over walking out of the court. The defence counsels walked out of the tribunal in order to obstruct the trial procedure, he said. The tribunal yesterday also fixed November 20 for hearing the petition for explanation from the tribunal on what reasons Justice Nizamul chaired the tribunal. It also rejected another petition submitted by the defence yesterday seeking adjournment of all proceedings against Sayedee till disposal of the petition that sought the explanation. The petition says the tribunal's Chairman Justice Nizamul may be biased in the trial proceedings as he was a member of the secretariat of People's Enquiry Commission that investigated allegations against him [Sayedee] and some others in 1993-1994. During yesterday's proceedings, Tajul Islam told the court that they felt embarrassed as Justice Nizamul sat for chairing the tribunal, although they have brought many allegations against him. Justice Nizamul told Tajul that he did not refuse to discharge his duties, as he has not got the copy of the disposal order. Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali opposed Tajul, saying that placing argument on a matter that has been disposed of is against the law. Meanwhile, ...back at the secret hideout, Scarface Al sneeringly put his proposition to little Nell... from a press briefing at the Supreme Court Bar Association yesterday afternoon, barrister Abdur Razzaq, principal counsel for Sayedee, said that if Justice Nizamul does not quit the tribunal, they might move to the Supreme Judicial Council for his trial. |
| Posted by:Fred |