Supreme Court hearing war criminal Nizami’s review petition

The apex court has started hearing a petition filed by war crimes convict Motiur Rahman Nizami for a review of his death sentence.

Court CorrespondentSupreme bdnews24.com
Published : 3 May 2016, 03:59 AM
Updated : 3 May 2016, 05:07 AM

The proceedings started Tuesday at the four-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

The other members of the bench are justices Nazmun Ara Sultana, Syed Mahmud Hossain and Hasan Foez Siddique. 

The hearing opened with Nizami’s chief counsel Khandker Mahbub Hossain placing his argument. followed by Attorney General Mahbubey Alam providing his.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami was convicted in October 2014 by the International War Crimes Tribunal for the atrocities he committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

He has been found guilty of involvement in mass murders and rapes of Bengalis and massacre of the intellectuals during the war.

Nizami was then the head of the Jamaat's students' wing Islami Chhatra Sangha and commanded the al Badr militia that was notorious for its ruthlessness.

Following the conviction and sentencing, Nizami appealed for the verdict’s review on Mar 29.

If Nizami's review is rejected, his last option to avoid the gallows would be to appeal to the president for mercy.

If that plea is rejected, he will be hanged.