Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam. File Photo

DHAKA, May 27, 2025 (BSS) - The apex court today acquitted Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam of the charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, allowing his appeal against the earlier judgment that upheld Azhar's conviction and death sentence initially handed down by the ICT-1.
 
The Appellate Division full bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, pronounced the judgment this morning. The apex court unanimously allowed Azhar's plea, acquitting him of the charges framed by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1, for which he had been sentenced to death.
 
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) also directed the jail authorities to release ATM Azharul Islam immediately if he is not arrested in any other case.
 
Barrister Ehsan A Siddique and Advocate Shishir Mohammad Manir moved the case for ATM Azharul Islam, while Gazi MH Tamim stood for the prosecution of the ICT. Additional Attorney General Barrister Aneek Rushd Haque argued for the state.
 
The Appellate Division on May 8, after the conclusion of arguments from the state and the defense, had set today to pronounce judgment in the case. The matter topped the apex court's cause list for today, and the judgment was pronounced at 9:55 am.
 
It is the first time the Appellate Division has acquitted anyone, allowing an appeal in a crimes against humanity case.
 
The Appellate Division on February 26 granted ATM Azhar's leave to appeal petition, asking the defense to submit the summary of their appeal case within a week and the prosecution to submit a summary of their case within the next two weeks after that. It also had set April 22 for holding a hearing on the appeal.
 
The then ICT-1 on December 30, 2014, sentenced Azhar to death for crimes against humanity in Rangpur during the War of Liberation. The tribunal, in its judgment, had said it found him guilty of five of the total six charges it had framed against him.
 
ATM Azharul Islam filed the appeal against his conviction on January 28, 2015.
 
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on October 31, 2019, pronounced its judgment, upholding the death sentence of ATM Azharul Islam. On March 25, 2020, the apex court released the full text of that judgment.