Tribunal judges to visit secret detention centres known as ‘Aynaghor’
Collected Photo
The three judges of the International Crimes Tribunal will visit the secret detention centers, known as "Aynaghor" (House of Mirrors), where individuals were held during the tenure of the ousted Awami League government. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 gave its consent on Tuesday following an application from the prosecution to inspect these centers, which are operated by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB).
The three judges who will conduct the inspection are Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Majumder, Justice Md. Shafiul Alam Mahmud, and Judge Md. Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
After the hearing at the tribunal, Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam briefed journalists about the context of the application. He mentioned that during the past authoritarian rule in Bangladesh, many victims of enforced disappearances were held in secret locations known as "Aynaghor," referred to as JIC or TFI cells.
Specifying the locations for the visit, he stated that an application was submitted to the tribunal to inspect these sites in person, including a center within the DGFI complex in the Cantonment, a TFI cell of RAB-1, and the detention facilities at the DB office.
Regarding the legal validity of visiting the crime scenes, the Chief Prosecutor cited both domestic and international legal precedents. He noted that under Section 539-B of the country's existing law, as well as Rule 7 and Rule 73 of the Rome Statute, provisions exist for judges to visit the scene of a crime in the interest of the case. Previously, judges from the Rwanda and Yugoslavia tribunals also conducted on-site inspections, using their findings as memoranda in their judicial proceedings.
The Chief Prosecutor further informed that the tribunal has granted the application, and the judges will set a date and time to visit these detention centers, which are recognized as crime scenes. Prior to the visit, notices will be sent to all relevant parties, and if any member of the defense wishes to join, the inspection will be conducted jointly with them.
