Mojaheed files review petition

Condemned war crimes convict Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed filed a review petition on Wednesday with the Supreme Court (SC) against its verdict upholding his death penalty for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

Mojaheed’s counsel Shishir Monir said they filed the review petition with the Appellate Division of the apex court in the morning.

On 1 October, the International Crimes Tribunal had issued a death warrant against Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed.

Contacted, Shishir Monir then said they would seek review of the verdict based on two points.

“One main point is the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case said he didn’t find the name of Mojaheed on any committee list of Al Badar. So, how could I be the Al Badar Commander?”

Mojheed was quoted as telling Shishir.
“Another point is Mojaheed was a student during the Liberation War in 1971. So, how was he made commander of a paramilitary force?” Shisir said.
Shisir said he along with three other lawyers met Mojaheed at the Dhaka Central Jail on Tuesday afternoon and discussed with him the review petition.

The SC on 30 September released the full verdicts awarding death penalty to Mojaheed, clearing the way for the execution of the judgment.

Earlier, the court on 16 June upheld the death sentence awarded by ICT-2 to him for killing intellectuals during the war in 1971.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, delivered the short order of the verdict.

The Appellate Division upheld the tribunal order sentencing the Jamaat leader to death for provoking and assisting Al Badr members to kill intellectuals after confining them to Teacher’s Training Institute in Dhaka.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on 17 July 2013 awarded Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed death penalty for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in collaboration with the Pakistan occupation forces, after finding the Al Badr boss guilty of five, out of seven, charges.

On 11 August 2013, condemned convict Mojaheed filed an appeal with the Appellate Division against his capital punishment awarded by the ICT-2.

Mojaheed was arrested on charge of hurting religious sentiment on 29 June 2010 and later he was shown arrested in a case filed for committing crimes against humanity on 2 August in that year.