About International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF)
International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF) is an independent global network of activists and organizations with membership spread out in four continents. Deeply committed to the spirit of the historic Liberation struggle of 1971 in Bangladesh, when, number of major international crimes were committed, this international network was setup to support the justice process initiated by the Government of Bangladesh through the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Bangladesh, to investigate and prosecute those responsible for international crimes committed in 1971. Since its inception, ICSF has been interacting and engaging with the ICT and other relevant authorities to assist the Government in its timely and momentous initiative of bringing to account the perpetrators of 1971 alleged of international crimes. The coalition is currently engaged in – providing legal research support, documentation support, and other forms of pro bono assistances to the Tribunal and its various components, including, maintaining strategy-facilitating archives, such as the Media Archive* (http://icsforum.org/mediarchive - which records all media reports related to the ICT), maintaining easy-access research database portals such as the E-Library** (http://icsforum.org/library - a full-text literature archive to facilitate strategic and academic research on Bangladesh's trial including legal research) etc. The Network is also engaged in specific project-based activities such as: PR and media-handling, lobbying, investigation, organizing training and strategic workshops and other civic engagement activities.
This article is based on the position paper titled ‘Think it Through, Benches is the Answer’ – A Legal and Strategic Analysis of the Government’s Stance on Setting up Additional Tribunals, which is based on an internal memorandum prepared by the International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF – www.icsforum.org) in January 2012 to communicate the concerns of ICSF to Bangladesh Government and relevant stakeholders regarding the Government’s plan that involved setting up additional Tribunals under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 to speed up the justice process. The memo was provided confidentially to the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister and State Minister of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Office of the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, National Human Rights Commission, the Bangladesh Law Commission, and Sector Commanders’ Forum among other stakeholders. Continue reading →
Full text of ICT prosecutor Advocate Zead-Al-Malum’s speech before EU Parliament’s Delegation on South Asia explaining the nature of the International Crimes Tribunal, its operations, and the safeguards that are built within the process to protect the human rights of the accused who are now on trial. Continue reading →
As an act of civic engagement, this piece has sought to explore Mr. Rapp’s suggestions regarding the ICT and its governing statute. There is no argument against ensuring fairness and quality of the justice process initiated by the ICT. Attention, however, must also be given to the fundamental principles enshrined in the ICTA; any failure to maintain the right balance will allow impunity to continue and rule of law to be frustrated. Continue reading →
Posted in Analysis, Controversy, Law, News, Policy, Rebuttals, Review
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Tagged Ambassador, Dipu Moni, ICC, ICCPR, Rome Statute, Shafique Ahmed, Stephen Rapp
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