The International Crimes Tribunal‑2 will deliver its judgement on Tuesday in the case against Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu, accused of crimes against humanity committed during the July 2024 uprising.
On 22 June, the tribunal set 30 June as the verdict date after concluding arguments from both prosecution and defence.
The prosecution has told the court that the charges against Inu have been proven beyond doubt and demanded the maximum punishment, the death penalty. The defence, however, has argued that the charges have not been proven and sought Inu’s acquittal.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam, along with prosecutors Mizanul Islam and Faruk Ahammed, appeared for the state. Defence lawyers Munsurul Haque Chowdhury and Sifat Mahmud represented Inu.
According to the prosecution, Inu instigated and provoked ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising. The prosecution claimed that motivated by Inu’s provocation, Hasina made and implemented various destructive decisions.
As one of the top leaders of the Awami League-led alliance, Inu also bears “superior command responsibility” for the crimes, the prosecution argued.
During the hearing, the prosecution presented a recorded telephone conversation between Sheikh Hasina and Inu, in which the Jasad president allegedly described the mass movement as “militancy” and called for its suppression.
The defence, however, argued that there is no order in that conversation to open fire, bomb, or torture to suppress the movement, nor any such provocative statement. They also claimed that no information was presented in the prosecution’s documents proving that Inu ordered, instigated, or participated in any conspiracy.
The prosecution began presenting its witnesses in the case on 1 December last year. On 25 September, the prosecution submitted eight specific charges before the tribunal, which took cognisance of the charges that day.
Inu was arrested on 26 August 2024 and later shown arrested in this case, filed over the killing of six people in Kushtia during the 2024 uprising. He had served as Information Minister during the Awami League government.
