AI calls for trial of 'war criminals'

Dhaka, Jan 05 (bdprem.com) -- Amnesty International Saturday urged the caretaker government to try "war criminals". "We'll (formally) ask the caretaker administration to initiate the process of trial of 1971 war criminals," Irene Khan, secretary general of the human-rights watchdog, told reporters after attending a seminar on "Campaign for human dignity" at LGED in Agargaon. Your Ad Here "War criminals should be tried and we want the present government to initiate the process," she said. "An initiation by the present government will help the next elected government take the issue forward," she said. Khan said AI was ready to help the government with its experience on war criminals trial in Latin America, Cambodia and Africa. The demand for trial of war criminals got momentum after freedom fighters, political leaders and members of civil society raised the issue. Khan said international laws on war crimes are changing continuously. "Many of these changes and provisions were not in place in 1971," she said. "We'll inform the government about the changes and that the war crimes trial is possible under the international laws," she said. Khan arrived in Bangladesh to lead a delegation to discuss human-rights issues with the government, political parties and civil society representatives. Born in Bangladesh, Khan worked in many countries for the rights of refugees and displaced persons. The AI secretary general said the history of Bangladesh is full of turbulence and injustice. "The AI thinks a real opportunity has come for the caretakers to bring institutional reforms for a better future," she said. She hailed the government for making steps to form a national human-rights commission and for separating the judiciary from the executive. Human rights can be protected even in the state of emergency, Khan said. "Freedom of expression and media and poverty reduction activities need to be protected," she added. The AI will disclose the state of human rights in Bangladesh Thursday after holding a series of meetings with the government, NGOs and civil society.