SC verdict on Jamaat leader Azharul's appeal tomorrow

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will deliver its judgment on the appeal petition challenging the death penalty of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam in a case over crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

A seven-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed fixed the date on 8 May after closing the hearing on the petition.

Earlier on 22 April, the Appellate Division stayed the hearing of a review petition submitted by Azharul Islam in the case till 6 May.

Lawyers Ahsan A Siddik and Mohammad Shishir Manir stood for Azharul Islam in the court during the hearing.

Following his arrest, Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azhar faced nine charges of "crimes against humanity".

According to the chargesheet, he was "responsible" for killing 1,256 people, abducting 17, and raping 13 women during the Liberation War in Rangpur region.

Besides, he was said to have tortured civilians, set fire to hundreds of houses and committed other atrocities.

The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death on 30 December 2014 in five out of the nine charges.

On 28 January 2015, the death-row convict submitted a petition to the Appellate Division claiming his innocence.

Later, on 19 July 2020, Azharul Islam filed the review petition with the relevant branch of the Appellate Division.

Following an appeal hearing, the Appellate Division under a bench led by then-Chief Justice Syed Mahmud upheld the death penalty in a verdict delivered on 23 October 2019.

The full text of the Appellate Division's verdict was released on 15 March 2020, after which ATM Azhar submitted the review petition.