In a written statement served to media, the New York Based human right watchdog Human Rights Watch on Monday urged Bangladesh government to suspend the death penalty for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Motiur Rahman Nizami with immediate effect.

 

In the statement HRW said, “The death sentence against Motiur Rahman Nizami, the head of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islaami party, should be suspended with immediate effect.”

On May 5, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected the petition of Nizami seeking review of its earlier verdict upholding the death penalty awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal.

 

After that verdict now it is now only a matter of time for the jail authority to execute the death sentence of Nizami after the deadline to appeal for presidential clemency expires.

 

 Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch said, “Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as an irreversible, degrading, and cruel punishment,” adding “It is particularly problematic when there are questions about whether proceedings meet fair trial standards.”

 

Criticizing the ICT’s trial, the HRW alleged that the court put an arbitrary limit on the number of witnesses Nizami could call to defend himself against charges of war crimes.

 

It also said that Nizami was allowed to call just four witnesses in his defense.

 

“He was not allowed to challenge prosecution witnesses who allegedly had offered prior inconsistent testimony. Conversations leaked to the Economist as part of the “Skypegate” scandal also revealed that the Nizami trial was unlawfully discussed by the presiding judge, the prosecution, and an external consultant, who were heard debating trial strategies,” the statement reads.

 

It further said that Human Rights Watch strongly supports the need for justice and accountability for war crimes committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 conflict but has pointed out numerous shortcomings in ICT proceedings leading to flawed judgments and, in some cases, hangings, despite well-documented fair trial concerns.

 

Human Rights Watch also called on the Bangladeshi government to impose a moratorium on the death penalty with a plan to abolish it altogether. Over 20 people have been executed since the Awami League government took office in 2009.