SC resumes hearing plea against death penalty
After a recess for 40 days, the Supreme Court yesterday resumed hearing on the appeal filed by Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman challenging the death penalty given to him for committing crimes against humanity during the liberation war.
International Crimes Tribunal-2 on May 9 last year sentenced Kamaruzzaman, one of the key organisers of the infamous Al Badr force, to death for the crimes in 1971.
The Jamaat leader filed the appeal with the SC on June 6 last year seeking acquittal from charges brought against him.
During hearing yesterday, Kamaruzzaman's lawyer SM Shahjahan argued before the Appellate Division of the SC to dismiss the charges brought against him of killing one Badiuzzaman in 1971.
According to the charges, on June 29, 1971, under the leadership of Kamaruzzaman, a group of Al-Badr members abducted Badiuzzaman of Ramnagar village in Jhenaigati of Sherpur. He was tortured at Ahammed Nagar army camp and was gunned down the following day.
The defence lawyer told the apex court yesterday that the ICT-2 had sentenced Kamaruzzaman to life term imprisonment on the basis of hearsay statements from the prosecution witnesses which were not reliable.
A four-member Appellate Division bench headed by Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha fixed today for resuming the hearing for 13th day on the appeal.
The court on July 23 had adjourned the hearing on the appeal till yesterday due to its 37-day annual vacation which started on July 25.
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