Provisions for banning political parties have been excluded from the proposed amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, according to Dr Asif Nazrul, the law adviser to the interim government.
He made this statement during a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Wednesday (20 November).
Previously, on Tuesday (19 November), while addressing a press briefing at the secretariat, Dr Asif Nazrul had stated that if allegations of crimes against humanity were raised against a political party, the court could, under the draft amendments, recommend punitive measures to the relevant authorities.
This provision was included in the initial draft of the amendment proposal to the International Crimes (Tribunal) Ordinance.
Dr Asif Nazrul elaborated, saying, "The draft of the amendments has been shared with prominent legal experts and human rights organisations, including the United Nations Human Rights Organisation. Based on their feedback, we prepared a revised draft, which was presented to the Advisory Council today and subsequently approved."
However, he noted a significant discussion during the advisory council meeting.
"The council opined that linking this tribunal with the question of banning political parties or organisations could invite unnecessary controversy. Including such provisions might undermine the credibility of the judicial process," he explained.
The law adviser further clarified, "The original draft allowed the court to recommend necessary punitive measures against a political party to the concerned authority. However, the advisory council decided to exclude this provision, aiming to ensure the tribunal operates in a fair and impartial manner. If there arises a societal demand for banning a political party, existing laws are sufficient to address such a scenario."
Dr Asif Nazrul concluded by reiterating the government's commitment to conducting the trials in a transparent and just manner, free from political entanglements or undue influence.
