We appointed Mr Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury, a retired Judge of the High Court Division to represent my husband Mir Quasem Ali before the Appellate Division in the appeal proceedings against the death sentence passed by the International Crimes Tribunal.
The Attorney General launched a personal attack against Mr Justice Nozrul Islam’s character and questioned his ‘morality and integrity’ since the day he appeared before the Appellate Division to represent Mir Quasem Ali. The Law Minister also made similar comments questioning the integrity of Mir Quasem Ali’s counsel. Despite being fully aware of the express constitutional provision allowing retired high court judges to practice in the Appellate Division, the Government resorted to launching a smear campaign intimidating and harassing Mr Justice Nozrul Islam both publicly and in private.
Today, Mr Justice Nozrul Islam withdrew from Mir Quasem Ali’s Appeal proceedings stating that ‘… in the extremely adverse situation that has arisen, I am compelled to withdraw…….’
The Appellate Division remained silent while my husband’s engaged counsel was being publicly harassed and intimidated. Mir Quasem Ali has been denied the right to engage a lawyer of his choice to represent him in the appeal proceedings – this, we fear, will gravely prejudice his legal representation.
Mir Quasem Ali is being denied his guaranteed right to a fair trial, that too at the behest of the highest echelons of the Executive Government.
Khandoker Ayesha Khatoon
Wife of Mir Quasem Ali
15.02.2016
Free Mir Quasem Ali 