Bangla cabinet approves change to war crime law
12 Feb 2013 6:36 AM IST
Bangladeshi cabinet on Monday approved an amendment to a law that will allow the government to seek tougher penalties for war criminals, as thousands protested for the seventh consecutive day against ‘lenient’ life term handed down to an Islamist leader for crimes against humanity.
‘The existing law allows prosecution to appeal against in cases of acquittal alone,’ Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
But, he said, the proposed amendment ‘will give the prosecution and the defence equal opportunities to challenge (before the apex court) any judgments’ handed down by the country's International Crimes Tribunals (ICT). Bhuiyan said the proposed amendment also suggested a ‘45-day timeframe’ instead of ‘indefinite period’ for disposal of an appeal at the Appellate Division of Supreme Court with provision of extending the time.
‘The existing law allows prosecution to appeal against in cases of acquittal alone,’ Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
But, he said, the proposed amendment ‘will give the prosecution and the defence equal opportunities to challenge (before the apex court) any judgments’ handed down by the country's International Crimes Tribunals (ICT). Bhuiyan said the proposed amendment also suggested a ‘45-day timeframe’ instead of ‘indefinite period’ for disposal of an appeal at the Appellate Division of Supreme Court with provision of extending the time.
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