Verdict on Azhar’s appeal against death sentence on May 27

The hearing has ended in the appeal case of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, who was sentenced to death for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has set May 27 to announce its verdict.

A full bench of seven judges, led by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, fixed the date on Thursday. The court had set May 6 for the hearing of Azhar's appeal earlier, on April 22,.

The Supreme Court granted leave to appeal against the International Crimes Tribunal's (ICT) death sentence on February 26. The court had also scheduled February 23 for the hearing of a review petition filed by Azharul Islam.

Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin represented the state during the hearing. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tazul Islam and Azhar’s lawyer, Mohammad Shishir Monir, were also present.

The Appellate Division upheld the death sentence given to Azhar by the International Crimes Tribunal on October 23, 2019. Azhar later filed a review petition challenging the verdict.

The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced ATM Azharul Islam to death by hanging on December 30, 2014.

He was charged with six counts of crimes against humanity during the 1971 war, including genocide and mass killings of 1,256 people in the Rangpur region, abduction of 17, rape of one woman, detention and torture of 13 individuals, and widespread looting and arson of homes. The tribunal sentenced him to death on five of the six charges (excluding charge number one).

Jamaat-e-Islami has called the verdict politically motivated and labeled it a 'mock trial'.

Azhar’s lawyers filed an appeal seeking his acquittal, arguing 113 grounds in his defense on January 28, 2015. The appeal submitted to the Appellate Division included a 90-page main appeal and a total of 2,340 pages of documents.