The State has filed a petition seeking a review of war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee’s appeals verdict, which commuted his punishment from death penalty to life in prison until death.
Published : 12 Jan 2016, 12:42 PM
The documents for the petition were submitted to the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
“The appeals verdict commuted his death sentence to prison until death. We seek a review of that verdict,” Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told the media at his office.
The Supreme Court’s full verdict was published on Dec 31, 2015, fifteen months after the Appellate Division pronounced the verdict.
According to the rules, a petition for a review of the appeals verdict has to be filed within 15 days after the full verdict is published.
The deadline in this case is Jan 15.
This is the first case of the war crimes trial in which the State is seeking to maintain the tribunal’s verdict.
Sayedee was given the death penalty on two counts of crimes against humanity in 2013 by the war crimes tribunal.
Known as 'Deilya Razakar' in 1971, Sayedee was found guilty of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
The number two leader of Jamaat e Islami had appealed against the death sentence, seeking acquittal in the case.
On Sep 17, 2014, the Appellate Division bench headed by the then Chief Justice Justice Md Muzammel Hossain delivered the verdict.
The verdict was a majority judgment by the five-member bench.
Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah wanted to acquit Sayedee of all charges but Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury supported the death penalty.