Bangladesh war crimes tribunal on Thursday issued death warrant against convicted Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman.

The warrant was issued a day after receiving the full text of the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the Kamaruzzaman, the assistant secretary general of the party, for his crimes against humanity during 1971.

The copies of the death warrant, wrapped in red cloth, were sent to Dhaka district magistrate, prison authorities and secretaries to the home and law ministries.

It was issued a day after receiving the full text of the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the his death penalty of Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, the asstt. Secretary general of the party, for his crimes against humanity during 1971.

The apex court on Wednesday had released the full verdict on convict’s appeal after all the four judges, who had delivered the verdict on November 3 last year by a majority decision, signed the 577-page judgment.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh awarded death penalty to Kamaruzzaman, who led the dreaded Al Badr militia in Mymensingh region during the 1971 Bangladesh war.

The Jamaat leader will, however, enjoy the scope to file a review petition within 15 days, and also be able to seek amnesty from the President, if review appeal is rejected. Law Minister Anisul Huq said, the review petition, if the defence files within the stipulated time, would put the process to execution on hold.

Kamaruzzaman was found guilty of five out of the seven charges and the tribunal sentenced him to death on two charges, life term on two and 10 years jail on another. He was acquitted of two counts of war crimes.

His counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, also an adviser to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, said the convict cannot be executed until the review petition, if filed, is not disposed of.

If executed, Kamaruzzaman will be the second Jamaat leader to be hanged after Quader Molla, whose execution took place in December 2013. The Supreme Court has so far completed the trials of two war crimes accused, while the trials of seven others are pending with the appellate division.

Source: TH