Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hussain Tamim told a hearing of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 that the United Nations did not provide details of eyewitnesses used in its fact-finding report because the tribunal's law retains the death penalty as a punishment.
The statement came during argument presentation in a case against seven accused, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, over crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising.
The prosecutor said the UN fact-finding report contains references to all witnesses, and that the UN said it would provide all eyewitness information only if the death penalty is removed from the law.
He added that the prosecution is presenting its own eyewitnesses instead.
The prosecutor also said that between 14 and 17 July 2024, armed Chhatra League and Awami League leaders and activists attacked protesters on the orders of senior Awami League leaders, a matter reflected in the UN report.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published a fact-finding report analyzing events from 1 July to 15 August 2024, holding top leaders of the then-ruling Awami League responsible for atrocities and crimes against humanity during that period.
The UN fact-finding team conducted investigations in eight cities including Dhaka, Chittagong, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Bogura, Sylhet and Gazipur, and conducted more than 230 interviews with victims and witnesses, plus 36 interviews with government, security and political figures.
The prosecutor said the UN did not provide the eyewitness information because the tribunal law retains the death penalty, and that the UN has called for abolishing capital punishment for all crimes.
The other accused in the case are Awami League joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former deputy minister Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and general secretary Mainul Hossain Khan, and Chhatra League president Saddam Hossain and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif; all seven accused are fugitives.