Political affiliations can't give immunity to criminals: Inu

In an impromptu press conference following the execution of two war criminals, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mujahid, Saturday midnight, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said that the case goes to prove that political affiliation does not provide immunity to crime, reports BSS. The conference was held at the ministry's conference room at the secretariat in the capital yesterday. Hasanul Haq Inu said, "We do not look at the names, the cases are being dealt with on its (legal) merits by the judiciary. As for the government, it is only carrying out what has been mandated by the judiciary." Regarding the issue of presidential clemency, he said, "It goes to prove that they (the war criminals) have accepted the fairness of the legal process."
He also dispelled rumors about the content of the mercy petitions and said that only those applications that request for mercy or reduction of sentence can be entertained by the president under Article 49 of the Bangladesh Constitution. "Nothing else can be considered by the high office under this law," the minister clarified.
The minister further said that through the war crimes trial the country was coming out of the culture of impunity for criminals and trying to restore the rule of law. "We will try all those involved in various killings. We have already tried those involved with the 1975 murders and now we are trying the war criminals of 1971. We will also try those involved with the grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004. Nobody will be spared," the minister reiterated. He also said that those who were complaining of the rapidity of the trials were not telling the truth. The Nuremberg trial was completed in 245 days and 123 persons were sentenced to death. Besides, there was no provision of appeal. Comparatively, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, got almost five years to establish his innocence, while Ali Ahsan Mujahid got almost four and a half years to prove his case. The cases were not in any summary court nor were they on-camera, it was an open trial and anybody could observe it. "There was no hide-and-seek about it", he told journalists.

Political affiliations cant give immunity to criminals: Inu

In an impromptu press conference following the execution of two war criminals, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Mujahid, Saturday midnight, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said that the case goes to prove that political affiliation does not provide immunity to crime, reports BSS. The conference was held at the ministrys conference room at the secretariat in the capital yesterday. Hasanul Haq Inu said, We do not look at the names, the cases are being dealt with on its (legal) merits by the judiciary. As for the government, it is only carrying out what has been mandated by the judiciary. Regarding the issue of presidential clemency, he said, It goes to prove that they (the war criminals) have accepted the fairness of the legal process. He also dispelled rumors about the content of the mercy petitions and said that only those applications that request for mercy or reduction of sentence can be entertained by the president under Article 49 of the Bangladesh Constitution. Nothing else can be considered by the high office under this law, the minister clarified. The minister further said that through the war crimes trial the country was coming out of the culture of impunity for criminals and trying to restore the rule of law. We will try all those involved in various killings. We have already tried those involved with the 1975 murders and now we are trying the war criminals of 1971. We will also try those involved with the grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina on August 21, 2004. Nobody will be spared, the minister reiterated. He also said that those who were complaining of the rapidity of the trials were not telling the truth. The Nuremberg trial was completed in 245 days and 123 persons were sentenced to death. Besides, there was no provision of appeal. Comparatively, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, got almost five years to establish his innocence, while Ali Ahsan Mujahid got almost four and a half years to prove his case. The cases were not in any summary court nor were they on-camera, it was an open trial and anybody could observe it. There was no hide-and-seek about it, he told journalists.