JIC ‘abduction, torture’: Will Army officers face trial as tribunal set for order Sunday

An order on whether to frame charges against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and a group of former serving Army officers in the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) “abduction and torture” crimes against humanity case will be delivered on Dec 14.

The date was set on Tuesday by the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.

Prosecutors have petitioned the tribunal to frame charges on five counts. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, sought discharge for all suspects, including the three arrested Army officers. Hasina and the remaining suspects are fugitives.

Of the 13 suspects, three Army officers are in custody. On Tuesday morning, police brought them to the tribunal from the Dhaka Cantonment special jail under tight security.