Mojaheed to seek review of SC verdict

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed yesterday decided to file a petition with the Supreme Court seeking a review of its ruling that upheld the death penalty on him for planning and instigating the killings of intellectuals and professionals in 1971.

Mojaheed gave the decision when five of his lawyers met with him at Dhaka Central Jail for 30 minutes from 11:25am, his counsel Shishir Manir told The Daily Star.

Mojaheed has the right to seek a review within 15 days after getting the full judgment of the apex court.

This was the first meeting between Mojaheed and his lawyers after the country's apex court upheld the death penalty on the Jamaat secretary general, who was the chief of infamous Al-Badr Bahini, especially responsible for the killing of intellectuals in 1971.

“He (Mojaheed) told us (lawyers) that he couldn't understand why the death sentence was sustained, despite having no specific allegations,” said Manir.

He said his client was mentally and physically well.

On June 16, the Appellate Division upheld the death penalty on Mojaheed. In July 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced him to death for war crimes.