Execution anytime

War criminal Mir Quasem ‘refuses’ to seek presidential mercy

War crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali, on death row, yesterday informed the jail authorities that he will not seek presidential clemency, the last chance to avoid hanging for his heinous crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.The superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail-2, Proshanta Kumar Banik, disclosed this to journalists after meeting the convicted war criminal yesterday afternoon. Security was beefed up in and around the prison following the briefing.
"We went to the condemned cell where Mir Quasem has been kept at around 2.00pm. We asked him whether he will submit a mercy petition after admitting his crimes against humanity. He told us that he will not seek presidential clemency," the jail superintendent said.
About the next step for the execution of death sentence, Banik said: "We have informed the higher authorities. Steps to carry out the verdict will be taken as per the jail code, after getting the order from the higher authorities."
On hearing about Mir Quasem's refusal to submit a mercy plea, a large number of journalists, mostly from the capital, rushed to the jail to collect news about any development including the possible execution of the death sentence of Mir Quasem Ali.
Harun-or Rashid, superintendent of police of Gazipur, said they have deployed additional police force in the jail area to avert any untoward situation. He also said the execution is a matter that will be dealt with by the jail authorities. "We are working to maintain law and order, considering the developments," he added.
According to Quasem's family members, the jail authorities informed them about the war criminal's refusal to submit a mercy petition. Prison officials also told the family members to submit a list of those wishing to see him for the last time within 2:30pm. The family then submitted a list of 30 persons who want to meet him. They also hired two micro buses to take them to Kashimpur Central Jail. However, the jail authorities did not contact to approve the number of persons to be allowed or asked them to come, they said.
A close relative of Mir Quasem said the family members themselves have communicated with the jail authorities to know the date of execution. But the jail authorities, till filing of this report around 8:45pm, have neither confirmed the probable execution date, nor rejected the possibility of it taking place on Saturday night.
Mir Quasem is considered the main financer of the Jamaat-e-Islami. The government has also alleged that the Jamaat leader had spent a huge sum of money to appoint a US lobbyist to make the war crimes trials appear controversial.
In August, Mir Quasem lost his final legal battle to avoid execution, as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court dismissed his review petition filed against the death sentence awarded to him for committing crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation in 1971.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2), in a verdict on November 2, 2014, had sentenced to death Mir Quasem, who had been the Al-Badr chief in the port city of Chittagong in 1971.
Among the 14 charges brought against him for war crimes, the tribunal awarded him death penalty on two charges, sentenced a total of 72-year imprisonment on eight others and acquitted him from four other charges.
On November 30, 2014, Mir Quasem filed an appeal with the SC, challenging the death penalty. On March 8 this year, the Appellate Division upheld the tribunal verdict on seven charges, with death sentence on one charge and various jail terms for six more, and acquitted him of three charges. The Appellate Division upheld the death sentence on charge number 11 -- abducting, torturing and killing six people, including juvenile freedom fighter Jasim Uddin Ahmed, after keeping them in confinement from the day of Eid-ul-Fitr in 1971 to November 28, 1971, and later throwing their bodies into the Karnaphuli river.

 

Execution anytime

War criminal Mir Quasem refuses to seek presidential mercy

War crimes convict Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali, on death row, yesterday informed the jail authorities that he will not seek presidential clemency, the last chance to avoid hanging for his heinous crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.The superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail-2, Proshanta Kumar Banik, disclosed this to journalists after meeting the convicted war criminal yesterday afternoon. Security was beefed up in and around the prison following the briefing. We went to the condemned cell where Mir Quasem has been kept at around 2.00pm. We asked him whether he will submit a mercy petition after admitting his crimes against humanity. He told us that he will not seek presidential clemency, the jail superintendent said. About the next step for the execution of death sentence, Banik said: We have informed the higher authorities. Steps to carry out the verdict will be taken as per the jail code, after getting the order from the higher authorities. On hearing about Mir Quasems refusal to submit a mercy plea, a large number of journalists, mostly from the capital, rushed to the jail to collect news about any development including the possible execution of the death sentence of Mir Quasem Ali. Harun-or Rashid, superintendent of police of Gazipur, said they have deployed additional police force in the jail area to avert any untoward situation. He also said the execution is a matter that will be dealt with by the jail authorities. We are working to maintain law and order, considering the developments, he added. According to Quasems family members, the jail authorities informed them about the war criminals refusal to submit a mercy petition. Prison officials also told the family members to submit a list of those wishing to see him for the last time within 2:30pm. The family then submitted a list of 30 persons who want to meet him. They also hired two micro buses to take them to Kashimpur Central Jail. However, the jail authorities did not contact to approve the number of persons to be allowed or asked them to come, they said. A close relative of Mir Quasem said the family members themselves have communicated with the jail authorities to know the date of execution. But the jail authorities, till filing of this report around 8:45pm, have neither confirmed the probable execution date, nor rejected the possibility of it taking place on Saturday night. Mir Quasem is considered the main financer of the Jamaat-e-Islami. The government has also alleged that the Jamaat leader had spent a huge sum of money to appoint a US lobbyist to make the war crimes trials appear controversial. In August, Mir Quasem lost his final legal battle to avoid execution, as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court dismissed his review petition filed against the death sentence awarded to him for committing crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation in 1971. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2), in a verdict on November 2, 2014, had sentenced to death Mir Quasem, who had been the Al-Badr chief in the port city of Chittagong in 1971. Among the 14 charges brought against him for war crimes, the tribunal awarded him death penalty on two charges, sentenced a total of 72-year imprisonment on eight others and acquitted him from four other charges. On November 30, 2014, Mir Quasem filed an appeal with the SC, challenging the death penalty. On March 8 this year, the Appellate Division upheld the tribunal verdict on seven charges, with death sentence on one charge and various jail terms for six more, and acquitted him of three charges. The Appellate Division upheld the death sentence on charge number 11 -- abducting, torturing and killing six people, including juvenile freedom fighter Jasim Uddin Ahmed, after keeping them in confinement from the day of Eid-ul-Fitr in 1971 to November 28, 1971, and later throwing their bodies into the Karnaphuli river.