The International Initiative for Justice in Gujarat, a women's body, on Thursday urged the central government to establish a special court to try crimes against women during the riots, including rape and sexual violence.

IIJG spokeswoman Deepika pointed out that the organisation was horrified by the violence unleashed against the women in the minority community during the post-Godhra riots.

"For nine months, we have seen lack of national political will to apply existing laws and redressal mechanism to ensure justice for the victims," she said.

She said the IIJG wanted a special court to probe the alleged sexual violence against Muslim women under "existing international laws".

She said a panel from the outfit had visited Gujarat between December 14-17, adding the panel "addressed the complicity of the state in the violence".

The panel consisted of experts like Sunila Abeysekara (Sri Lanka) Gabriela Mischkowski (Germany), Prof Rhonda Copelon of City University, New York and Nira Yuval-Davis, Professor of gender and ethnic studies (United Kingdom).

The panel in its interim report said it had "investigated" the activities of organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena and their affiliates. The report demanded the "prosecution" of the "culprits".

It also wants the Supreme Court to immediately hear a Public Interest Litigation on the violence against women, authorise the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate major and ask the Centre to implement the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission.