Jamaat leader ATM Azhar acquitted
The Appellate Division has acquitted Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam of the death penalty in a crime against humanity case. A seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed announced the verdict on Tuesday (May 27).
After the verdict was announced, Jamaat’s lawyer Advocate Shishir Monir said, “From now on, ATM Azhar is free from crime. With this verdict, truth has triumphed and lies have been defeated. The death sentences of 6 people from Jamaat and BNP have been executed. At least 5 people have died in jail. This is an unprecedented act of torture in the history of the world.”
He also said, “We have asked for a short order. The court will process this short order today or tomorrow and take all legal measures to get ATM Azhar out of jail.”
Reacting to the verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami Naib-e-Ameer Dr. Daiyad Abdullah Taher said, “The Quran says that truth will triumph and falsehood will inevitably fall.” This has been proven today through this verdict.
Incidentally, Azharul Islam was arrested from his home in Moghbazar on August 22, 2012 on charges of war crimes in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Azharul Islam to death on December 30, 2014 in a case of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Azharul Islam appealed against that verdict on January 28, 2015. After the hearing, the Appellate Division upheld the death sentence on October 31, 2019.
The full verdict of the Appellate Division was published on March 15, 2020. Then, Azharul Islam applied to the Appellate Division on July 19 of that year, seeking reconsideration. On February 26, the Appellate Division decided to hear the appeal again after hearing the review. This is the first case of crimes against humanity that has been allowed to be heard again after reaching the review stage.
