ABSTRACT
March 1971 marked the culmination of protests and demands for self- determination and independence for the people of East Pakistan. It also marked the commencement of a conflict that would culminate in the birth of a new nation; East Pakistan would no longer be recognized, and in its place, the state of Bangladesh would be born. The amendments were contrary to basic principles of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in that they effectively stripped those charged of their constitutional rights and fundamental freedoms. The US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp, wrote an extensive analysis of the ICT legislation and listed several proposals to adapt the regulation to international standards of fairness and due process. The whole legislative framework of the ICT received widespread criticism for failing to comply with recognized international standards of due process and human rights norms.
