The hearing on charge framing against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak was held in the case of crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising was held on Sunday.
The hearing was held at the International Crimes Tribunal-1, with the date for the defence to present their arguments on 15 January.
During the charge framing hearing, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said that during the mass uprising, orders to shut down the internet used to come from Joy, with Palak in charge of implementing those orders.
The accused Joy in this case is a fugitive. State-appointed lawyer Md Munjur Alam, representing him, sought time to present an application for Joy’s discharge from this case. The other accused, Palak, is under arrest. He was brought to the tribunal from prison for the hearing, with Liton Ahmed as defence counsel.
Previously, on 4 December last year, the tribunal took cognizance of the charges against Joy and Palak. That day, an arrest warrant was also issued against Joy, with Palak shown arrested, on charges of crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising.
