The Appellate Division of Supreme Court has released the full judgement acquitting Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Azharul Islam from death penalty in a case involving crimes against humanity.
His lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir confirmed the publication of the full verdict on Monday.
Earlier, on 27 May 2025, a seven-member full bench of the Appellate Division headed by the chief justice unanimously accepted a petition of Azharul and acquitted him.
This marks the first time in history that an individual has been acquitted by the Appellate Division through a review petition in a case concerning crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
During the court proceedings, lawyers Shishir Manir and Ehsan Abdullah Siddiq conducted the hearing on behalf of the applicant, while the state was represented by Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim.
The International Crimes Tribunal sentenced ATM Azharul Islam to death on 30 December 2014.
Following an appeal against this verdict, the Appellate Division upheld the death sentence in 2019. On 19 July 2020, he filed a review petition seeking a reconsideration of the judgement.
On 26 February 2025, the apex court accepted the review petition, paving the way for an appeal hearing that led to his acquittal.
