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International Human Rights Attorney, Irwin Cotler Joins Defense of Bangladeshi Tried For Converting To Christianity

Dr. Richard L. Benkin - 12/18/2006

Chicago, IL -In a development that underscored the growing seriousness of the Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury case, noted International Human Rights attor-ney, Professor Irwin Cotler, has joined the Muslim journalist's defense team as international legal counsel. Choudhury was imprisoned and tortured by Bangla-deshi authorities after writing about the rise of radical Islam in that country, promoting peace with Israel, and advocating interfaith dialogue. Choudhury is now faces charges of "sedition, treason, and blasphemy" for which he could be put to death. Cotler's has previously acted as counsel for Nelson Mandela, Andrei Sakharov, Natan Sharansky and Saad Edin Ibrahim, among others.

On December 7, 2006, Cotler, a member of the Canadian Parliament, addressed that body describing Choudhury's persecution and adding, "As counsel for Mr. Choudhury and as one who, while as minister of justice, was engaged in a joint Canada-Bangladesh rule of law project, I call upon the Bangladesh authorities to respect the rule of law, to review and, as appears just and appropriate, to drop the charges while working to apprehend those who have violated Mr. Choudhury's rights."

Cotler, an expert in comparative, constitutional and criminal law, has identified eight violations of Choudhury's rights under Bangladesh law - including holding him in solitary confinement for seventeen months while denying him the right to a fair hearing before an impartial judge - that warrant quashing the charges, which as Cotler says, are otherwise "unfounded in fact and wrong in law".

Resolutions urging the Bangladeshi government to drop the admittedly false charges have been approved or introduced by several nations including the United States and the European Union.

Last week, the Bangladeshi High Court summarily rejected Choudhury's motion to investigate the case's validity. In an ex parte communication, one judge complained that Choudhury's real problem was that "as a Muslim, [he should not have] told the Christians and Jews about the [Islamist] radicals."

Choudhury's attorney, S N Goswami-who called it "an honor" to work with Cotler-said he would consult his noted colleague as he prepared an appeal.