One war crimes tribunal to be inactive from Sunday

When different organisations are demanding an increase in the number of war crimes tribunals for quick prosecution of war crimes suspects, the government has initiated a process to keep one of the tribunals dormant. 

One of the two International Crimes Tribunals will be kept operational while the other will remain inactive from Sunday, Law Minister Anisul Huq told The Daily Star today.

He said the initiative has been taken considering some relevant issues including the drop of number of pending cases at the tribunals.

The government has taken the step in consultation with the Supreme Court, the minister said, adding that a gazette notification will be issued to this effect soon.

A law ministry high official, requesting anonymity, told this correspondent that although a single tribunal will deal with the war crimes cases, another tribunal will not be abolished.

The judges of the tribunal, which will remain inactive, will work for the High Court, he said, adding that the tribunal will be made active again if needed.

The Awami League-led government formed the first tribunal on March 25, 2010 in line with the party's electoral pledge to try people who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

The second tribunal was formed on March 22, 2012, to expedite the trials of war crimes related offences.

Meanwhile, the ICT-2 today transferred two war crimes cases to ICT-1 for “expeditious disposal.”

The three-member tribunal-led by Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order on its own motion as per the section 11A of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act-1973.

One case is against eight alleged Al-Badr men of Jamalpur while the other is against three alleged Razakars from Habiganj. Both the cases were waiting for charge hearing after the court took the cases into cognisance.