Two sections of Int'l Crimes Tribunal Act challenged
A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday challenged the legality of two sections of International Crimes Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 2009 which allow the trial of individuals in connection with war crime charges.
Advocate Md Rezaul Karim filed a writ petition as public interest litigation with the High Court (HC) also challenging rules of the law that allow its judges' appointment as chairman or member of International Crimes Tribunal for holding the trial of war crimes charges.
Hearing on the petition will be held on May 15, counsel for the petitioner barrister Fakhrul Islam told The Daily Star.
Section 3(1) of the law, which permits the trial of individuals, is contradictory to article 47(3) of the constitution, Fakhrul said.
This provision of the constitution has permitted the trial of members of armed, defence, auxiliary forces and prisoners of war, he said, adding that by incorporating the word individual or group of individuals in the amended law, the constitutional provision has been violated.
Section 6(2) of the law also goes against the constitutional provision that permits the HC judges to sit only the HC division, he added.
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