Ziaul says media reports have portrayed him as the country’s only criminal.
Former major general Ziaul Ahsan being taken to court. File Photo: Collected
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Former major general Ziaul Ahsan being taken to court. File Photo: Collected
Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan — who is facing a crimes against humanity case over the alleged disappearance and killing of more than 100 people during the ousted Awami League regime — today (8 September) alleged that he is being subjected to a “media trial.”
He made the allegation before a single-member bench of Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Mohitul Enam Chowdhury.
Earlier in the day, a police constable testified as the 11th prosecution witness in the case against Ziaul over the alleged disappearances and killings of more than 100 people during the Awami League regime. After the testimony, Ziaul’s lawyer Naznin Nahar raised the issue of “media trial”, alleging that prosecution witnesses’ statements were being reported in the media while details of the defence’s cross-examination were not.
Ziaul, who was standing in the dock, then sought permission to speak. After being allowed to do so, he said, “We have come here for justice. A few days ago, the High Court acquitted 10 people in the Nusrat murder case. Lawyers Shishir Monir and then chief prosecutor Tajul Islam briefed the media about it. They called it an excessive media trial.
“They said that because of the excessive media trial, the court was compelled to hold the trial in the Nusrat murder case. All 16 people were sentenced to death. The same thing is happening in my case. After my arrest, it seems that I am the only criminal in the country. As if there is no one else,” Ziaul said.
He also referred to reports about a cake being cut inside the police lock-up.
Ziaul said law enforcement members had questioned him about the matter, although he was not there that day and did not know who had cut the cake.
“Yet the media are publishing false reports about me. I therefore request that this excessive media trial be stopped,” he said.
The tribunal then asked the prosecutors present to convey the matter to the chief prosecutor.
The judge also told the prosecutors to caution against commenting to the media on matters pending before the tribunal.
“You can say that allegations have been brought against someone. But if someone is described as a murderer or rapist before the trial is completed, then what is the purpose of the trial?” the judge observed.
Prosecutor Mizanul Islam said, “We do not distort anything. We never distort anyone’s name.”
He also said law enforcement members had been cautioned against mistreating any accused.
Referring to the case of Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Prosecutor Mizanul said defence witness Sukhranjan Bali had been allegedly taken from a vehicle.
“Who could be more victimised than him?” he said.
Ziaul’s lawyer Syed Mizanur Rahman said, “We do not speak to the media about pending cases. We do not want that.”
Prosecutors Tasmirul Islam and Moinul Karim represented the prosecution before the tribunal.
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