The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Tuesday granted permission to former army officer Ziaul Ahsan, an accused in a crimes-against-humanity case involving over a hundred enforced disappearances and killings, to participate in trial proceedings virtually from prison due to security reasons.
Earlier, expressing fears of a threat to his life, Ziaul had submitted an application through his lawyer, Naznin Nahar, on 8 October, requesting to be brought to the tribunal in a prison van alongside other accused person.
Taking his security into consideration, the prosecution proposed connecting him to the hearing virtually from prison rather than physically producing him at the tribunal, following which both sides participated in a hearing on the matter that day, with Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim representing the prosecution.
Prosecutor Tamim said Ziaul had been regularly produced before the tribunal every day until now.
He noted that lawyer Nahar had filed the application citing apprehension of a threat to his life and seeking permission for him to travel in a prison van with other accused persons for security reasons.
Tamim explained that while the prosecution agreed with the defence’s security concerns, they objected to transporting Ziaul in the same prison van with other accused, as such security risks could apply to the other accused as well.
The prosecutor said an application was consequently made to allow Ziaul to join the trial proceedings virtually from prison without physical appearance at the tribunal due to security reasons.
He added that conducting trial proceedings in this manner was viable due to the availability of audio-visual conferencing facilities at both the tribunal and the prison.
The court granted the prosecution’s application, and necessary preparations have been made accordingly.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Sahidur Rahman cross-examined the case investigation officer Md Rafiqul Islam.
