Defence of war criminals condemned to death simply acknowledges defeat

After the Supreme Court scrapped the death penalty review petitions of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, the defence team of the war criminals had only this to say, “We’ve lost, and that’s it.”

Staff Correspondedbdnews24.com
Published : 18 Nov 2015, 05:09 PM
Updated : 18 Nov 2015, 07:07 PM

The top appeals court on Wednesday upheld the death sentences of the two former ministers after the final hearings.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha pronounced the two verdicts with a one-minute interval. In both cases, Justice Sinha’s response was: “Dismissed.”

Amid much celebration and satisfaction expressed by pro-liberation forces and the State, the defence had little to say when reporters approached them for reactions.

The convicts’ main counsel Khandker Mahbub Hossain said, “We’re lawyers. We fought a legal battle. We have lost. That’s it. This is our reaction.”

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mujahid and BNP Standing Committee Member Chowdhury are now left with the last option of seeking presidential clemency.

The government will go ahead with the executions if the convicts refuse to ask for mercy or if the president rejects their prayer.

About the execution, Mahbub Hossain said, "It fully depends on the government. The verdicts will be carried out whenever the government wants in line with the International Crimes Tribunal Act."

“These verdicts will go to the tribunal first. Then the government will decide and executions will take place.”

Supreme Court Bar Association President Khandker Mahbub also advises BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Asked whether senior BNP leader Chowdhury would seek mercy, he said that completely depended on the convicts.

"The State can commute the sentence or acquit the convicts in line with the law even if the convicts do not seek it," he added.                    

Responding to queries regarding the Supreme Court’s judgment, Hossain said, “As a lawyer, I have nothing to say about the Appellate Division’s verdicts.”

“Our goal is to ensure that the punishment handed to our clients was awarded lawfully.”

“It’s not for us to see whether the accused committed the crime. We’re there to see whether the charges against the accused are proved based on testimonies and evidence.”

“The Appellate Division has given its verdict and upheld the death sentences. We’ve got nothing else to say,” he said.

The International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced Chowdhury infamous as Chittagong’s wartime terror, to death on Oct 1, 2013 for his role in the mass killing and torture of Hindus and Awami League supporters.

The top court had upheld his death penalty in July after hearing his appeal against the tribunal’s judgment.

The tribunal also sentenced Mujahid to death on July 17, 2013 for the murders of intellectuals and his involvement in the killing and torture of Hindus in 1971.

The Al-Badr commander, too, had appealed to the Supreme Court against the sentence; the top court upheld it in June.

The Appellate Division published both full appeal verdicts on Sep 30.