Landmark verdicts on war crimes

judiciary

In the last year, the judiciary drew much attention for its role in ensuring larger public interests on a wide range of issues, and was at the centre of political discourse for some landmark judgments, especially the verdicts on the much-discussed war crimes cases.
Although the trials of war crimes accused were started soon after the formation of the tribunal on March 25, 2010, the final trial of a war criminal was completed in 2013. Following the final verdict of the apex court, the assistant secretary-general of Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Quader Molla, was hanged on December 12, 2013, for his crimes against humanity in 1971. This was the first execution of a war criminal in Bangladesh.
After the Awami League assumed power in 2008, steps were taken to dispose of a number of significant cases, including the Bangabandhu murder case, and starting trials against war criminals for their crimes against humanity, committed during the War of Liberation in 1971, in line with the party's election manifesto.
After the formation of the war crimes tribunal, a total of 18 people have been convicted, and four have been sent to the gallows in the meantime. Among the four, three were executed this year.
In line with the Supreme Court (SC) verdict, the government executed Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, on April 11 this year, for war crimes.
On April 7, the Appellate Division of the SC rejected a review petition filed on March 5, by Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, against its verdict that upheld the Jamaat leader's death penalty for crimes against humanity in 1971.
Top Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury were hanged on November 22, for war crimes.
Earlier, on November 18, the SC cleared the decks for the execution of war crime convicts Mujahid and SQ Chowdhury, after dismissing their petitions seeking reconsideration of their death penalties.
The apex court, on November 19, just a day after its dismissal order of the review petitions filed by Mujahid and SQ Chowdhury, released the full texts of its orders, and the jail authorities executed the apex court verdicts on November 22.
Besides these, some other appeals related to war crimes, in the pipeline, include those of Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, its leaders—Mir Quasem Ali, ATM Azharul Islam and Abdus Subhan—Mobarak Hossain, the expelled Awami League leader from Brahmanbaria, and Syed Mohammad Qaisar, the former state minister in HM Ershad’s government.
The Supreme Court was the centre of political discourse for some landmark judgments delivered last year, including the verdicts on the Zia Charitable Trust, GATCO and NIKO graft cases against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, and scrapping the HC order that acquitted Awami League leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.

Landmark verdicts on war crimes

judiciary

In the last year, the judiciary drew much attention for its role in ensuring larger public interests on a wide range of issues, and was at the centre of political discourse for some landmark judgments, especially the verdicts on the much-discussed war crimes cases. Although the trials of war crimes accused were started soon after the formation of the tribunal on March 25, 2010, the final trial of a war criminal was completed in 2013. Following the final verdict of the apex court, the assistant secretary-general of Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Quader Molla, was hanged on December 12, 2013, for his crimes against humanity in 1971. This was the first execution of a war criminal in Bangladesh. After the Awami League assumed power in 2008, steps were taken to dispose of a number of significant cases, including the Bangabandhu murder case, and starting trials against war criminals for their crimes against humanity, committed during the War of Liberation in 1971, in line with the partys election manifesto. After the formation of the war crimes tribunal, a total of 18 people have been convicted, and four have been sent to the gallows in the meantime. Among the four, three were executed this year. In line with the Supreme Court (SC) verdict, the government executed Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, on April 11 this year, for war crimes. On April 7, the Appellate Division of the SC rejected a review petition filed on March 5, by Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, against its verdict that upheld the Jamaat leaders death penalty for crimes against humanity in 1971. Top Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury were hanged on November 22, for war crimes. Earlier, on November 18, the SC cleared the decks for the execution of war crime convicts Mujahid and SQ Chowdhury, after dismissing their petitions seeking reconsideration of their death penalties. The apex court, on November 19, just a day after its dismissal order of the review petitions filed by Mujahid and SQ Chowdhury, released the full texts of its orders, and the jail authorities executed the apex court verdicts on November 22. Besides these, some other appeals related to war crimes, in the pipeline, include those of Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, its leadersMir Quasem Ali, ATM Azharul Islam and Abdus SubhanMobarak Hossain, the expelled Awami League leader from Brahmanbaria, and Syed Mohammad Qaisar, the former state minister in HM Ershads government. The Supreme Court was the centre of political discourse for some landmark judgments delivered last year, including the verdicts on the Zia Charitable Trust, GATCO and NIKO graft cases against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, and scrapping the HC order that acquitted Awami League leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.