Special Correspondent
Amnesty International has called for overturning the death penalty of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami saying that the verdict will not bring justice to the millions of victims of the independence war.
The statement came yesterday after a special tribunal ICT sentenced him to death for crimes committed against humanity during 1971.
“Bangladesh must overturn the death sentence against Motiur Rahman Nizami and all others. The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can never be a way to deliver justice,” said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International’s Bangladesh Researcher.
“The crimes committed during the independence war were horrific, and there is no question that victims deserve justice. But the death penalty only perpetuates the cycle of violence.”
“The death penalty is not only a violation of the right to life, but it is an irreversible punishment if it leads to execution, and leaves no room to correct any possible judgment errors or fair trial violations from the proceedings.”
“The ICT is a unique opportunity for justice and reconciliation in Bangladesh. But in the face of consistent concerns raised by the defence team about the trials not being fair it will only have the opposite effect and create more resentment,” said Abbas Faiz.
“The political situation in Bangladesh is extremely tense, and there is a real risk that any street demonstrations could erupt into violence. It is crucial that security forces ensure that people’s right to demonstrate peacefully is respected, and that leaders on all sides urge their supporters to not commit abuses,” he added.
Amnesty International opposed the death sentences of all previous war crimes trials saying that it is against death penalty regardless of the nature of the crime.
Source: Weekly Holiday
