Appeal Hearing of SQ Chowdhury�s case starts

Seven appeals pending with SC

War crimes trial

The appeals of seven war criminals sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh are currently pending with the Supreme Court (SC).
A total of 13 convicted war criminals were awarded death penalty by the tribunals for wartime offences. Seven of them have filed appeals with the apex court challenging their sentences.
The ICT had also awarded death penalty to Abul Kalam Azad, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, Faridpur’s Jahid Hossain alias Khokon Razakar and former Jatiya Party Vice Chairman Abdul Jabbar. They have not challenging the verdict because they are fugitives from the law.
With the confirmation of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid’s death penalty on Tuesday, the apex court has disposed of four out of the 13 cases before it.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday started hearing the appeal filed by BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury who has been awarded the death penalty the ICT.
Earlier in the day the apex court rejected Salauddin’s a petition seeking a four-week adjournment grounds that his lawyers needed time to prepare papers. Salauddin’s lawyer in the case is SM Shahjahan.
A four-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha began hearing the case and adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday.
On 1 October 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 found Salauddin guilty of nine of the 23 charges brought against him: of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 War of Liberation.
The tribunal handed him death penalty in four cases, 20 years in jail for three cases and five years in jail for two other cases.
After the completion of SQ Chowdhury’s appeal process the apex court will start hearing from Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.
On 23 November last year Nizami had filed an appeal with the SC challenging the ICT’s 29 October verdict. The three-member tribunal had unanimously condemned Nizami—who had already been awarded the death penalty in a 10-truck arms haul case—to death for crimes against humanity, genocide and the murder of intellectuals in 1971.

Other appeals in the pipeline include those of Jamaat leaders Mir Quasem Ali, ATM Azharul Islam and Abdus Subhan; Mobarak Hossain, the expelled Awami League leader from Brahmanbaria and Syed Mohammad Qaisar, former State Minister in HM Ershad’s government.
Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali filed an appeal with the SC on 31 January challenging the tribunal’s verdict that awarded him death penalty.
On 2 November, a three-member bench of ICT-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan had awarded death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islami's Central Executive Committee Member Mir Quasem Ali for wartime offences.
Convicted war criminal and Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam had filed his appeal with the apex court on 29 January. On 30 December last year ICT-1 had found him guilty of crimes including murder, rape, genocide and crimes against humanity. The tribunal additionally handed rigorous imprisonment of 25 years and five years in two similar cases that included crimes like abduction, confinement, torture and sexual violence.
Another death-row convict Abdus Subhan filed an appeal with the apex court on 18 March, challenging the war crimes tribunal’s decision against him. The ICT-2 had awarded him death penalty on 18 February this year.
Convicted war criminal Mobarak Hossain too filed an appeal with the SC on 18 December last year, challenging the death penalty handed to him by the ICT-1 on 24 November last year. He was sentenced to death for abducting and killing 33 people of Tanmandayl village of Brahmanbaria’s Akhaura during the War of Liberation.
Former State Minister for Agriculture Syed Mohammad Qaisar too filed his appealed to the apex court on 19 January. ICT-2 had awarded him the death penalty on 23 December, for wartime offences.

Appeal Hearing of SQ Chowdhury�s case starts

Seven appeals pending with SC

War crimes trial

The appeals of seven war criminals sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh are currently pending with the Supreme Court (SC). A total of 13 convicted war criminals were awarded death penalty by the tribunals for wartime offences. Seven of them have filed appeals with the apex court challenging their sentences. The ICT had also awarded death penalty to Abul Kalam Azad, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, Ashrafuz Zaman Khan, Faridpurs Jahid Hossain alias Khokon Razakar and former Jatiya Party Vice Chairman Abdul Jabbar. They have not challenging the verdict because they are fugitives from the law. With the confirmation of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahids death penalty on Tuesday, the apex court has disposed of four out of the 13 cases before it. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday started hearing the appeal filed by BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury who has been awarded the death penalty the ICT. Earlier in the day the apex court rejected Salauddins a petition seeking a four-week adjournment grounds that his lawyers needed time to prepare papers. Salauddins lawyer in the case is SM Shahjahan. A four-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha began hearing the case and adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday. On 1 October 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 found Salauddin guilty of nine of the 23 charges brought against him: of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 War of Liberation. The tribunal handed him death penalty in four cases, 20 years in jail for three cases and five years in jail for two other cases. After the completion of SQ Chowdhurys appeal process the apex court will start hearing from Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami. On 23 November last year Nizami had filed an appeal with the SC challenging the ICTs 29 October verdict. The three-member tribunal had unanimously condemned Nizamiwho had already been awarded the death penalty in a 10-truck arms haul caseto death for crimes against humanity, genocide and the murder of intellectuals in 1971. Other appeals in the pipeline include those of Jamaat leaders Mir Quasem Ali, ATM Azharul Islam and Abdus Subhan; Mobarak Hossain, the expelled Awami League leader from Brahmanbaria and Syed Mohammad Qaisar, former State Minister in HM Ershads government. Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali filed an appeal with the SC on 31 January challenging the tribunals verdict that awarded him death penalty. On 2 November, a three-member bench of ICT-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan had awarded death penalty to Jamaat-e-Islamis Central Executive Committee Member Mir Quasem Ali for wartime offences. Convicted war criminal and Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam had filed his appeal with the apex court on 29 January. On 30 December last year ICT-1 had found him guilty of crimes including murder, rape, genocide and crimes against humanity. The tribunal additionally handed rigorous imprisonment of 25 years and five years in two similar cases that included crimes like abduction, confinement, torture and sexual violence. Another death-row convict Abdus Subhan filed an appeal with the apex court on 18 March, challenging the war crimes tribunals decision against him. The ICT-2 had awarded him death penalty on 18 February this year. Convicted war criminal Mobarak Hossain too filed an appeal with the SC on 18 December last year, challenging the death penalty handed to him by the ICT-1 on 24 November last year. He was sentenced to death for abducting and killing 33 people of Tanmandayl village of Brahmanbarias Akhaura during the War of Liberation. Former State Minister for Agriculture Syed Mohammad Qaisar too filed his appealed to the apex court on 19 January. ICT-2 had awarded him the death penalty on 23 December, for wartime offences.