Israel Matzav

Choudhury trial in Bangladesh

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury went on trial in Bangladesh on Monday, charged with "trying to damage the image and relations of Bangladesh with the outside world." Choudhury advocated dialogue between his Islamic home country and Israel. I have discussed this case here, here and here.

Choudhury wrote a first person account of his day in court for IsraelInsider. Here's some of it:

The Court picked up my case at 1:35 pm., and there was a hearing for around 10 minutes. The judge, Mohammed Momin Ullah, asked the Public Prosecutor to read the charge in front of me. He came and read, "By praising the Jews and Christians, by attempting to travel to Israel and by predicting the so-called rise of Islamist millitancy in the country and expressing such through writings inside the country and abroad, you have tried to damage the image and relations of Bangladesh with the outside world. For which, charges under section 295-A, 120-A, 124-A, 105-A and 108-A are brought against you. Are you guilty or not"? he asked.

I replied, "I am not guilty." By advocating inter-faith dialogue, supporting relations between Bangladesh and Israel, I have not done anything wrong. Regarding the existence of Islamist radicals in this country, the matter is already endorsed several times by country's press, leaders, administration and judiciary. Continuation of this false case will open the doors for JMB criminals, whose death penalty issue is now in the higher court, in getting legal benefit. I firmly stand on my position'. Then my lawyers told the court that they will challenge this decision to the higher court.

The angry judge, a radical, then asked the Public Prosecutor to call the witnesses on 22nd Janaury 2007.

What a 'great New Year gift' from the radical judge! Isn't it?

May I request you all to kindly consider the following points:

- The government should end all forms of harrassments on me

- The travel ban on Israel should be immediately withdrawn

- Israeli news media should have access to Bangladesh (presently Bangladesh does not permit appointment of representatives of any of the Israeli media),

- Bangladesh should immediately begin relations with Israel,

- Provocative sermons (instigating people towards scalled jihad and bloodshed) in mosques and madrassas against Jews and Christians should be banned,

- Demand immediate removal of radical judge Momin Ullah from the Metropolitan Session Judge's court, and sacked,

- Legal proceedings should be immediately drawn against him for his alliance with Islamist radicals,

- Government to ensure immediate security to me (police protection at my residence is not yet back, despite two letters to the President),

- Radical leader Mufti Noorani, who exploded a bomb in our office in July and the attackers belongs to BNP's cultural wing, should be immediately arrested,

- Cash US$ 3,000 and other valuables, which had been seized during my arrest should be immediately returned.

Thus my day in court.

Finally, for those of you with particularly strong constitutions, you can watch this video of riots in Bangladesh that took place on October 28 (someone had actually sent it to me with an English narration, but I can no longer find it). Given this kind of situation, the fact that Choudhoury is still alive is nothing short of miraculous.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:39 PM