SC Acquits Jamaat Leader ATM Azharul Islam
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has acquitted Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, who had been sentenced to death in a case filed for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
The full bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the verdict.
Both prosecution and defence counsels, along with top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and their party lawyers, were present during the verdict announcement. At 9:50 am, a seven-member bench, led by the Chief Justice, took their seats in the courtroom. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim presented legal arguments on behalf of the state. The verdict announcement began at 9:55 am.
ATM Azhar was accused of committing six counts of crimes against humanity under nine categories during the 1971 Liberation War in the Rangpur region. The charges included genocide and murder, abduction, rape, detention, torture and grievous injury, as well as looting and arson.
On December 30, 2014, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced the then Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, ATM Azhar, to death for charges 2, 3, and 4. He was also sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for charge 5 (abduction, torture, and rape), and five years for charge 6 (torture).
Following the appeal hearing against the tribunal’s verdict, on October 31, 2019, the Appellate Division bench led by then Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain upheld the death sentence. The verdict confirmed the convictions on charges 2, 3, 4 (by majority opinion), and 6, while acquitting him of charge 5.
The full text of the Appellate Division’s verdict was published on March 15, 2020. Subsequently, on July 19, 2020, ATM Azhar filed a 23-page review petition, citing 14 grounds for reconsideration.
After a hearing on the review petition, on February 26 this year, the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, granted ATM Azhar permission to appeal against the death sentence in the war crimes case. He subsequently filed the appeal.
