War Crimes Trial: SC verdict on Qaisar on Jan 14
The Supreme Court has set January 14 to deliver its verdict on an appeal filed by convicted war criminal Syed Mohammad Qaisar challenging the death penalty handed to him by a war crimes tribunal in 2014.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain fixed the date after concluding hearing on the appeal yesterday.
During the hearing, Qaisar’s lawyer Khandaker Mahbub Hossain argued that his client was not involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes in 1971.
The charges were brought against him in order to politically harass him, he said.
The defence lawyer prayed to the apex court to acquit Qaisar considering his old age (80 years) and illness.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam requested the SC to uphold the judgement of the war crimes tribunal, saying the charges brought against Qaisar have been proven beyond reasonable doubt. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on December 23, 2014 awarded death penalty to SM Qaisar for committing crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.
The ICT-2 on February 2, 2014 indicted Qaisar, a former state minister of the Ershad regime, on 16 charges of crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Habiganj and Brahmanbaria in 1971 war.
During the Liberation War, he was allegedly associated with the occupation army and carried out atrocities in Habiganj and Brahmanbaria.
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