ATM Azhar's appeal hearing against war crimes conviction May 6

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) has set May 6 to hold a hearing on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam's appeal to review the apex court's judgment that upheld his death sentence initially pronounced by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 for crimes against humanity and war crimes in 1971.

The Appellate Division bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order on Tuesday. 

Earlier on February 26, the Appellate Division fixed April 22 to hold a hearing on ATM Azharul Islam's petition, granting the defence the leave to take part in the hearing in this regard.

That day, the apex court also ordered the defence to submit the summary of their appeal case within the next week and the prosecution to submit a summary of their case within the next two weeks.

Barrister Ehsan A Siddiqui and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir took part in the hearing for the Jamaat leader, while ICT prosecutor Gazi MH Tami stood for the prosecution.

The defence on July 19, 2020, filed the 23-page review plea, seeking Azhar's acquittal on 14 grounds.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on October 31, 2019, pronounced its judgment, upholding the death of ATM Azharul Islam. On March 25, 2020, the apex court released the full text of that judgment.

The ICT-1 on December 30, 2014, sentenced Azhar to death for his crimes against humanity in Rangpur during the War of Liberation. The tribunal in its judgment said it found him guilty in five of the total six charges it had framed against him.

ATM Azharul Islam filed the appeal against his conviction on January 28, 2015.