Jamaat leader ATM Azhar released from prison

Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam, who was acquitted of the death sentence in a case of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, has been released from prison.

He left Bangladesh Medical University after being released at 9:30 am on Wednesday (May 28). At that time, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists welcomed him. After that, he joined a reception organized at Shahbagh in the capital.

The country’s highest court acquitted ATM Azharul Islam from the death sentence in a case of crimes against humanity on Tuesday morning. A seven-judge appeal bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed gave the verdict on Tuesday, accepting Azharul Islam’s appeal against the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal.

It is worth noting that 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 appealed 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 was allowed to be heard again after reaching the review stage.

Azharul Islam was arrested from his home in Moghbazar on August 22, 2012, on charges of war crimes in 1971. He has been in prison since then.