SC paves way for hanging
The Appellate Division on Monday dismissed the review petition of war crimes death row inmate Muhammad Kamaruzzaman paving the way for his execution. Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who chaired a four-judge bench, pronounced the verdict at 9.10 AM in a crowded courtroom amid tight security. The one sentence verdict said, ‘The criminal review petition is dismissed.’ The bench included, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chaudhury. On November 3, 2014, the same bench of the apex court in a 3-1 decision had upheld the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal-2 that had sentenced Jamaat leader Kamaruzzaman to death for his 1971 war crimes. This was the second verdict of the apex court in review petitions since December 12, 2013 when it dismissed the review petition of executed war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla. Appeals of eight other war crimes death row inmates await hearing at the apex court. The appeals of war crimes death row inmates Ali Ahsan Muhmmad Mujahid and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury are at the top on the apex court’s cause list. Supreme Court registrar Syed Aminul Islam told New Age Monday afternoon that after the order of dismissal of Kamaruzzaman’s petition was being readied for sending it to the trial court.
The jail authorities are waiting for the copy of the apex court’s verdict to take the preparations for Kamaruzzaman’s execution, law minister Anisul Huq and Dhaka Central Jail Superintendent Farman Ali told reporters Monday night. The jail authorities would ask Kamaruzzaman whether or not he would seek mercy from the president, Forman said. At 6.45 PM, 16 family members met Kamaruzzaman at the condemn cell though the prison authorities had at 2.45 PM asked them to do so by 5 PM. Kamaruzzaman’s son Hasan Iqbal told reporters that his father will decide through consultations with his lawyers after getting the copy of the apex court’s verdict whether or not he would seek mercy. Hasan said the family members spent 45 minutes with Kamaruzzaman in the condemn cell before saying goodbye with smiles in the presence jail officials. He said that the family members shook hands with him but the prison authorities did not allow them to offer prayers for him. He said that they could not hug his father as they were separated by barriers.
The jail authorities did not allow Kamaruzzaman’s lawyers to meet their client though they sought the permission to meet him to ascertain whether or not he would seek mercy. At a news briefing, attorney general Mahbubey Alam said that Kamaruzzaman would be given ‘reasonable time’ to seek mercy from the president as the Constitution stipulates. If he declines to seek presidential mercy, the jail authorities would allow him to meet the members his family before his execution, he said. He said if he files a petition seeking presidential reprieve, the jail authorities will wait until the president gives his decision. Later, the government will set the date for his executing. ICT-2 sentenced Kamaruzzaman to death finding him guilty of orchestrating and participating in atrocities at Sohagpur village, making it a ‘village of widows’ on July 25, 1971 and killing 120 people and raping many women. The crimes were committed in the greater Mymensingh district under his leadership as the Al-Badr commander said the trial court verdict.
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