Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - In its first judgment, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday condemned Delwar Hossain Sayedee, nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, to death for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War 42 years ago.
ICT-1 chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, flanked by two other members of the tribunal, pronounced the judgment at 1:45 pm which had been kept pending since January 29 last after closing law-point arguments afresh.
Sayedee was produced in the dock at 11:10am and then the reading out of the 120-page judgment began.
Sayedee, also an ex-MP of Jamaat, was found guilty of crimes against humanity, including genocide, rape, arson attacks, looting, forcibly converting Hindus into Muslims during the War in collaboration with the Pakistani occupation forces.
A total of 28 prosecution witnesses testified against Sayedee while 17 defence witnesses for him.
Following a Dhaka court order, Sayedee was arrested along with Jamaat leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid on June 30, 2010, in connection with hurting religious sentiment of the Muslims.
Later, they were shown arrested in the war crimes cases.
Meanwhile, ICT-2 delivered two judgments sentencing Abul Kalam Azad, an expelled Rokan of Jamaat-e-Islami, to death in absentia and Abdul Quader Mollah, an assistant secretary general of Jamaat, to life term imprisonment.
On October 3, 2011, the tribunal framed charges on 20 counts against Sayedee under section 3 (2) and its sub-sections of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973.
BBN/SSR/AD-01Mar13-10:40 am (BST)