C T Online Desk: Toby Cadman, an international criminal law expert and special adviser to the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, has expressed hope that India, being a democratic nation, will respect Bangladesh’s judicial process and extradite ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Recent amendments to the tribunal’s laws were appropriate, Cadman told journalists after a meeting with the tribunal’s chief prosecutor and investigation officials on Wednesday.
There might be a need for further amendments, he said, adding that: “We will collectively propose additional recommendations.”
When asked about the possibility of Hasina’s extradition, Cadman said he hoped India as a democratic state would show respect for Bangladesh’s rule of law.
Should formal charges be framed under the tribunal’s laws and the request not be honoured, the Bangladesh government might consider proceeding in her absence, he added.
If necessary, Bangladesh would have to make a decision on seeking assistance from the International Criminal Court, the international law specialist said.
Regarding the reluctance of some countries to extradite individuals to nations with the death penalty, Cadman said Bangladesh’s circumstances were unique, adding that these nations needed to understand that.
It would ultimately be up to the courts to decide on the imposition of capital punishment, he added.
Previously, Toby Cadman, joint head of the London-based law firm Guernica 37 Chambers, was appointed as special adviser to Mohammad Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal.
Cadman arrived in Bangladesh following the fall of the Hasina regime amid a mass uprising. On September 2, he met Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at his official residence in Dhaka.
