ICT prosecution to appeal for conversion of Hasina, Kamal's life sentences to death penalty
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said the appeal will be filed within 30 days of the verdict
The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal has announced that it will appeal to the Supreme Court's Appellate Division to convert the life sentences of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal into death penalties in the case concerning crimes against humanity committed during the anti-discrimination student movement.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim provided this information at a press briefing at the International Crimes Tribunal premises today (27 November).
He said, "We have received the full copy of the verdict. In one charge, Sheikh Hasina and Khan were sentenced to life imprisonment, while in another charge they were handed the death penalty. We are reviewing the judgment and have made a preliminary decision to appeal in order to convert the life sentence into death penalty."
Asked about the timing, Tamim said the appeal will be filed within 30 days of the verdict.
Earlier, on 17 November, the tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina and Khan to death by hanging in addition to life imprisonment and ordered the confiscation of their domestic properties. Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, a prosecution witness, was sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment.
The verdict was delivered by a three-member bench of Tribunal-1, chaired by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mazumder. The full text of the verdict was published 9-days later, setting the 30-day window for appeals.
