The Appellate Division on Sunday set Tuesday for the hearing of a review petition submitted by death-row convict and Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam in cases related to “crimes against humanity” during the 1971 Liberation War.
A three-member bench, headed by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, set the date after International Crimes Tribunal's Chief Prosecutor Md Tajul Islam and Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman mentioned the review petition before the court, requesting a hearing, said defense lawyer Advocate Md Shishir Manir.
Earlier, on January 23, the Appellate Division had fixed February 20 for the review hearing.
On that date, a five-member full bench, headed by the chief justice, was scheduled to hear the petition.
However, the hearing did not take place as the court’s working hours ended after the disposal of previous cases.
The petition was subsequently placed before the court again, with a request for rescheduling.
Following his arrest, 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 the Rangpur region.
Additionally, he was accused of torturing civilians, setting fire to hundreds of houses, and committing other atrocities.
The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced him to death on December 30, 2014, on five out of the nine charges.
On January 28, 2015, the death-row convict submitted a petition to the Appellate Division, claiming his innocence.
Later, on July 19, 2020, Azharul Islam filed a 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 October 23, 2019.
The full text of the Appellate Division’s verdict was released on March 15, 2020, after which ATM Azhar submitted the review petition.