Judges at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)1 on Monday began reading out the verdict on Jamaat-e-Islami former Ameer Ghulam Azam, who has been charged on five accounts, including murder, mass murder and torture.
Ghulam Azam was brought to the courtroom at 10:45am.
Chairman of ICT 1, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, thanked the lawyers of both the prosecution and defence and announced the begining of the day's proceedings.
In his preamble speech, he said "This case is different from others. The accused was never present in any account of atrocities and the main allegation against the accused is 'superior responsibility'. He was the chief of East Pakistan unit of Jamaat-e-Islam during the 1971 Liberation War and the para-militia forces like al-Badr and al-Shams were formed with a large number of Jamaat members."
Justice Anwarul Haq, a judge on the panel, started reading out from the 243-page verdict at 11am. The court will read out a 65-page excerpt.
While reading out the verdict, Anwarul Haque focused on the history and background of the trial process. He also eveluated quotation, reference and books that prosecution and defence witnesses presented before the tribunal.
Justice Jahangir Hossain later started reading out the second part of the verdict at about 12:30pm.
Freedom fighters, eminent personalities and leaders of the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee were seen at the ICT 1 premises, awaiting the verdict of the former Jamaat kingpin.
The three-member judge panel of ICT arrived at the court premises at around 10:20am.
Media, lawyers, and many others from various walks of life had been gathering at the tribunal premises since the morning.
Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were seen alert outside the tribunal premises. Security in and around the tribunal had been beefed up ahead of the verdict.
Earlier, the former Jamaat Ameer was brought to the court premises at about 10:20am.
The charges against the 91-year-old former Jamaat chief include involvement in the murder and torture of unarmed people; and conspiracy, planning, incitement and complicity to commit genocide and other crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.
On April 16, the tribunal concluded proceedings on the case, keeping it as curia advisari vult, meaning the verdict could be delivered at any given time.
Eighteen witnesses submitted depositions against Ghulam while only one, the son of the accused, testified for him.
Earlier, the two tribunals handed down verdicts against three Jamaat leaders and another former Jamaat member. Several other cases against war crimes suspects are currently underway.
