SC decision on Jamaat leader Azhar’s appeal against war crimes verdict imminent

The Appellate Division is expected to deliver a verdict on former Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam's appeal against his death sentence for war crimes in 1971 any day.

A four-member bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Wednesday deferred the verdict pending further deliberation (CAV) after hearing the arguments of both sides in the case.

The other members of the bench are Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Md Nuruzzaman.

This is the 10th appeal to the top court against the verdict of International Crimes Tribunal.

Azharul was sentenced to death for murders, rapes and genocide during the Liberation War in 1971 by the International Crimes Tribunal in 2014.

He filed an appeal seeking acquittal in the case within a month of the verdict. The Appellate Division subsequently ordered him to submit summary of his appeal on Aug 13, 2017.

The appeal hearing was scheduled for Oct 10, 2017 but the lawyer of the convicted leader pleaded for more time. But the case appeared on the apex court’s hearing list on Apr 10 after one and a half years. 

On the day, the chief justice scheduled the next hearing for Jun 18.

Azharul, along with Jamaat and Chhatra Sangha activists, collaborated with the Pakistan Army and attacked villages around Jharhuar Beel on Apr 17, 1971.

They torched and looted houses and killed over 1,200 Hindus. Another 200 Hindus were detained and later killed at an undisclosed location. The incident is said to be the single biggest act of genocide in the war.