Allegations of enforced disappearance filed with ICT
Staff Reporter :
The brother of death-row convict Mozammel Hossain, also known as Saimon, has filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal’s (ICT) Chief Prosecutor’s Office alleging that Mozammel was a victim of enforced disappearance before being shown as an accused in the murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy.
Abdullah Al Hossain submitted the petition on Tuesday, claiming that his brother — sentenced to death in the Avijit murder case — had been abducted in 2017 and held in secret detention for nearly 50 days before being produced in court.
A total of ten individuals filed separate disappearance complaints the same day, accusing former additional superintendent of police Alep Uddin and four others of orchestrating the abductions. Alep Uddin previously served with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The complainants are: Abdullah Al Hossain (brother of Mozammel Hossain), Obaidul Haque, Md Rayhan, Obaidur Rahman, Al Amin, Abu Zafar, Shamim Mia, Lokman Mia, Habibur Rahman and Bahauddin.
After submitting the complaints, Voice of Enforced Disappeared Persons (VOID), an organisation representing families of disappearance victims, briefed the media on the ICT premises.
Its general secretary, Abdul Kaiyum, said Mozammel had been abducted and coerced into making a confession implicating himself in the Avijit Roy murder case.
“Mozammel was kept in secret detention, tortured and threatened. Under duress, he was forced to give a confessional statement.
He is now on death row and remains in prison,” Kaiyum said, noting that the disappearance complaint on Mozammel’s behalf was filed by his brother.
Speaking at the briefing, Abdullah Al Hossain said his brother was abducted in September 2017 and held for about 50 days.
“He was physically tortured and forced to confess. This happened because he wrote critically against the then government,” Abdullah alleged.
Mozammel Hossain was one of five people sentenced to death in the Avijit Roy murder case. Abdullah added that an appeal against the sentence has already been filed.
Testimonies Recorded in Three Other ICT Cases In a separate development, investigators testified before two different benches of the International Crimes Tribunal in connection with atrocities committed during the July mass uprising.
At ICT-1, investigation officer Syed Abdur Rouf testified as the 14th prosecution witness in a case involving allegations of crimes against humanity in Dhaka’s Rampura area.
The accused include former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman and four others. Former ASI Chanchal Chandra Sarkar is currently in custody.
Meanwhile, at ICT-2, investigation officer Zane Alam Khan testified as the 24th witness in the case concerning the burning of six bodies in Ashulia during the uprising.
Sixteen people stand accused, half of whom are in custody while the others remain fugitives.
Additionally, testimony concluded today in the case filed against Jasad president Hasanul Haq Inu over alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July events.
Special investigation officer and prosecutor Tanvir Hasan Zohar’s deposition was recorded by the tribunal.