Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Jan 23, 2025 (BSS) - The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) 
today set February 20 for holding a hearing on Jamaat leader ATM Azharul 
Islam's petition pleading to review its judgment that upheld his death 
sentence initially awarded by International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 for 
crimes against humanity and war crimes in 1971.

A four-member apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed 
passed the order as the matter came on today's cause list for hearing. 
 
Senior jurist Barrister Abdur Razzaq was present at the courtroom today for 
the Jamaat leader.
 
Earlier on January 9, the apex court had set today for starting the hearing 
on the matter.

The defence on July 19, 2020, filed the 23-page review plea, seeking Azhar's 
acquittal on 14 grounds.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on October 31, 2019, pronounced 
its judgment, upholding the death of ATM Azharul Islam. On March 25, 2020, 
the apex court released the full text of that judgment.

The ICT-1 on December 30, 2014, sentenced Azhar to death for his crimes 
against humanity in Rangpur during the War of Liberation. The tribunal in its 
judgment said it found him guilty in five of the total six charges it had 
framed against him.

Azharul Islam filed the appeal against his conviction on January 28, 2015.