Malaysian High Court stops repatriation of Jail Killings accused Khairuzzaman
A Malaysian court has ordered the suspension of the extradition of M Khairuzzaman, one of the accused in the jail-killing of four national leaders arrested in Malaysia. The Malaysian High Court passed the order on Tuesday on a petition filed by Khairuzzaman’s wife Rita Rahman’s lawyer, state media reported.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Judge Mohammad Zaini Mazlan has set May 20 as the next date for hearing on the “habeas corpus writ” filed by Khairuzzaman’s lawyer in court. He has been ordered not to be sent back to Bangladesh till then. Such writ cases are filed to bring someone before the court if they are accused of ‘illegal’ detention.
Lawyers argued in court that Khairuzzaman was a political asylum seeker in Malaysia. He also had a UNHCR card in his name. He has not violated any immigration laws, making it illegal to detain him.
However, when reminded of the deportation of some Myanmar nationals from Malaysia last year, despite the court’s stay, the judge said, “I do not want to hear anything that has been sent back despite the court order.” I hope the Immigration Department does not take matters into its own hands.
He was arrested on February 9 in the Ampang area of Kuala Lumpur. The former Bangladesh High Commissioner has been living in Malaysia as a refugee for more than a decade.
Retired Army Major Mohammad Khairuzzaman was charged in the 1975 jail murder case and was later acquitted. He was appointed High Commissioner to Malaysia in 2007 during the caretaker government.
After the Awami League came to power in 2009, he was asked to return to Dhaka. Considering the risk of returning to the country, he took a UN refugee card from Kuala Lumpur and stayed there.