SC to hear ATM Azharul’s review petition Thursday

The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has scheduled the hearing for Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam’s review petition against his death sentence in a crimes against humanity case for Thursday.

A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, has placed the petition at serial number 9 on the cause list for Thursday (February 20). 

The date was initially set on January 23 by a four-judge bench, also led by the Chief Justice.

Senior lawyer Barrister Abdur Razzak will argue in favour of the review petition, alongside Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddiqui, and Barrister Najib Momen.

ATM Azharul filed the review petition on July 19, 2020, submitting a 23-page document outlining 14 legal arguments challenging his conviction.

The International Crimes Tribunal originally sentenced him to death on December 30, 2014 for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War in Rangpur. The verdict was upheld by the Appellate Division on October 31, 2019, under then Chief Justice Syed Mahmud.

Azhar was found guilty of nine charges, including genocide, murder, kidnapping, rape, torture, looting, and arson.