UNB, Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday condemned Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam to death for the crimes against humanity, including rape and genocide, he committed during the 1971 Liberation War. Justice M Enayetur Rahim, chairman of the three-member tribunal, pronounced the verdict, after its 158-page summary was read out, at 12:44 pm in a crowded courtroom, amid tight security. Earlier, around 10:30 am, ATM Azharul Islam had been taken in a prison van to the ICT-1 for delivery of the judgment. On Monday, the three-member tribunal fixed Tuesday for pronouncement of the verdict. When the order was passed, the defence lawyers were not present. On November 12 last year, the tribunal framed charges against Azharul for his involvement in the crimes against humanity, including genocide, during the Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army. The accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader faced six counts of charges of crimes against humanity during the 1971 war like killing, abduction, confinement, torture, loot, arson, rape and genocide in Rangpur district. A week after submitting the formal charges by the prosecution, the tribunal on July 25, 2013 took cognisance of the charge against Azharul as it found a strong prima facie case against the accused under subsections 3(2) and 4(1) (2) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973. According to the prosecution case, Azharul had been involved in the killing of more than 1,200 unarmed innocent civilians in Rangpur during the Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation army. It mentioned that Azharul Islam had played a key role in the killing of intellectuals, cultural personalities, physicians and lawyers in different areas of Rangpur during the 1971 war. On August 22, 2012, police arrested Azharul from his Moghbazar house in the capital in connection with the war crimes case, after the tribunal issued a warrant for his arrest upon a prosecution plea.
