Dhaka: Protesting the statement issued by the Amnesty International (AI) on Bangladesh war crimes trials, Sector Commanders’ Forum—Liberation War’ 71 on Friday demanded withdrawal of its press statement issued on 27 October  or to correct it with suitable logical words.

The Sector Commanders’ Forum, an organisation of the Bangladesh Liberation War veterans and new generation activists, came up with the demand at a press conference at the Jaitya Press Club.

SCF Secretary General Haroon Habib read out a written statement at the press conference sent to Secretary General of AI, an international human rights watchdog, Salil Shetty, in response to AI’s ‘derogatory and audacious’ statement.

SCF’s Vice Chairman Lt Col (retd) Abu Osman Chowdhury, Senior Vice President Lt Gel (retd) M Harun-Ur-Rashid, Vice President Nurul Alam, Prosecutor of International Crimes Tribunal Dr Turin Afroz were present.

‘We’ve read with surprise and shock the Amnesty International (AI) press release issued on 27 October on the trial of the perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Bangladesh. We find the content of the press release biased and lack of understanding of the historical context of Bangladesh as well as long struggle of the nation for justice,’ Habib said reading out the statement.

He said they most resolutely condemn the AI’s criticism of the Bangladesh authorities for what it said failing to prosecute for crimes alleged to have committed by ‘Pro-Independence Forces.’

‘It hurts us too much to see while the accused are on trial for Genocide and Crimes against Humanity in1971, this crime of the crimes has never been recognised by the Amnesty International despite being a human rights watchdog,’ the statement reads.

It also mentioned that the Amnesty International has never recognised the right of the victims for justice, but always highlighted the rights of the accused in the dock. Every time they talked about international standards, but did never spell out what the international standard means.

Criticising AI’s statement over two war crime convicts—Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed—saying two opposition politicians face ‘Imminent hanging for crimes committed during the 1971 Independence War after ‘Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed were accused not because of their memberships of opposition parties but for specific charges against them for conspiracy, participation and abetment in the acts of genocide and other international crimes during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971’ .

They were found guilty by the highest court of the country of their crimes against humanity committed during the Bangladesh War, not of their role as opposition politicians today.

SCF said, ‘By issuing a statement like this, the Amnesty International had also commented on a subjudice matter, which we consider a clear interference into the judicial process of a sovereign country.’