Joy, Palak indicted in crimes against humanity case

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday indicted Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and also her former ICT adviser, and Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for ICT, in a case over allegations of crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising in 2024. 

The tribunal, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, framed three charges against the two accused, while rejecting their discharge applications.

While framing the charges, the tribunal said the materials on record were sufficient to move forward with the trial.

The tribunal fixed February 18 for the opening statement and recording of testimony of the prosecution witnesses.

According to the charges, Palak, acting with Joy’s approval, posted provocative posts on Facebook branding student protesters as “razakars”, and incited police, Chhatra League members and armed cadres to attack peaceful demonstrators at Dhaka University and elsewhere; shut down internet services following Joy’s instruction to conceal the atrocities; directing law enforcers and ruling party cadres to open fire on demonstrators.

After reading out the charges, a tribunal member asked Palak, who was in the dock, whether he pleaded guilty. Palak stood up and replied, “No Sir, the charges read out against me are false and I am not guilty.”

Meanwhile, in another development, investigating officer Abdullah Al-Mamun yesterday began his testimony before the ICT-2 in a case filed against former minister Hasanul Haq Inu, also president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising.

He told the tribunal that he had collected and analysed three audio clips involving ousted premier Sheikh Hasina, and claimed Inu had incited and ordered of armed cadres Kushtia AL, its front organisations and 14-party alliance, and also police to attack unarmed protesters at different places in Kushtia town and suppress the movement, causing death to six and injuries to scores others.