THE chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, reconstituted on October 14 to expedite trial related to crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the July鈥揂ugust uprising, and the adviser for law to the interim government, installed on August 8 after the August 5 overthrow of the 15 years of authoritarian regime of the Awami League, say that the trial of the prime accused in cases of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killing and the killing that took place during the uprising would be completed in a year. The chief prosecutor of the tribunal on the second day of a two-day dialouge on the challenges of the trial of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killing and the mass killing of July, held at Krishibid Institution in Dhaka on December 28,聽 has said that the prime goal is to ensure the trial of enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity and to hold to justice the masterminds of such crimes. The interim government is reported to have three issues on its priority agenda 鈥� trial, reforms and elections, but the trial of the killers is reported to be topping the list. The law adviser has said that the next Victory Day would be celebrated with the court verdict of the trial of the killings of July鈥揂ugust.
The crimes of involuntary disappearances, extrajudicial murder and the killing of people during the July鈥揂ugust uprising must, of course, be tried for justice, accountability and reparations to set a precedent that would act as a major deterrent to such crimes in future. The chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal also says that they want the trial to adhere to international standards to set a precedent. So far, so good. But what remains concerning in all this is the setting of a deadline of a sort for the completion of the trial 鈥� a year or before the next Victory Day. The trial should take its own course and the time that it would need. Any deadline for the completion of the trial, especially in the cases that the International Crimes Tribunal would deal with, could entail hurried and, even, delayed justice. There should be no hurry and no delay in the trial of the crimes at hand. Any hurry or delay could also taint the trial and make it controversial. Whilst the investigation should be thorough and credible, it is extremely important that the trial should also remain above any bias and strictly uphold the rule of law to avoid any controversy. Such concern is more pressing as a Supreme Court lawyer has already said that the trial would be based on digital evidence, but many are reported to be creating digital evidence with the help of artificial intelligence.
The trial of the crimes that the International Crimes Tribunal deals with should neither be hurried nor delayed to stop them from falling into controversy. It should take its own course.
