SC upholds Azhar’s death penalty

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has upheld death penalty of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Assistant Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam for crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain pronounced the verdict Thursday morning on an appeal filed by war criminal ATM Azharul Islam challenging his death sentence.

The appeal was on the top of Thursday’s cause list of the Appellate Division.

Concluding hearing on the appeal, the four-member Appellate Division bench on July 10 last kept the verdict as CAV (Curia Advisari Vult), a Latin term that suggests reserving of judgment until a later time.

Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Advocate Shishir Monir stood for the convict while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam represented the state.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Azhar to death on December 30, 2014, for crimes against humanity committed in Rangpur during the Liberation War. He was found guilty of five of the six charges brought against him.

Later, Azhar moved the apex court challenging his death sentence.

Dhaka/Mahadi/Mukul