NEWS media reported that the chief prosecutor’s office of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has requested the Law Ministry to launch an investigation against Prosecutor Tureen Afroz over an alleged meeting held secretly with an accused of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War-1971. Earlier, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office withdrew Tureen — who had earlier earned much acclaim for her performance in dealing with the war crimes cases — from all cases and asked the prosecutor to submit all documents.
In a letter signed by Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arief Tipoo it is mentioned that Tureen held a meeting with war crimes accused and former acting director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI), Oahidul Haque, at a hotel. Oahidul recorded the conversation between him and Tureen. The investigation agency and prosecution got a copy of the conversation. On April 25, the ICT-1 sent Oahidul to jail in a case filed for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War.
The allegation against the prosecutor is a deadly one, and if proven, will put the ICT activities under controversy and doubt. At the same time, it would again bring forward the alleged political control and corruption in the judicial process. We don’t know whether it is true or not. But this type of allegation would encourage a certain quarter in and outside the country. Earlier, some international rights organizations and governments had expressed concerns over the credibility, standard and procedure of the tribunal. Tureen, however, said she is still in her position and whatever she had done the higher authorities were informed beforehand.
With the latest scandal, Tureen Afroze has not only veered off the tribunal but opens the critics’ propaganda box against the ICT. It is simply scandalous. The allegation must be investigated extensively. If it isn’t it could be that all trials and verdicts of the ICT would be susceptible to criticism and it could constitute a breach of judicial integrity.
