War Crimes Trial

Prosecutor terms journos 'saboteurs'!

11 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Dhaka

Journalists were stupefied yesterday when a prosecutor, under the International (Crimes) Tribunal set up for holding trial of war crimes, accused them of espionage in the name of journalism. “Journalists are engaged in espionage and smuggled out information in the name of journalism,” accused Zead Al Malum, one of the appointed prosecutors, when he was talking to the reporters at his chamber attached to the Tribunal. Terming the work of newsmen as 'sabotage', the prosecutor said if it goes on, the trial of the crimes against humanity during the 1971 war of liberation will be delayed and impeded as well. “We have information about it and the investigation agency under the tribunal is looking into it,” he said. The authorities are now actively considering allowing journalists to cover tribunal proceedings only upon strict scrutiny, Prosecutor Malum said.