Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme Court today upheld a death sentence for top Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah for 1971 crimes against humanity, rejecting his review petition two days after his execution was dramatically put on hold in a last-minute reprieve.
“Rejected,” Chief Justice Muzammel Hossain ruled today at a packed courtroom after two days of hearing on the maintainability of the review prayers.
The verdict removes the last barrier for the execution of 65-year-old Mollah, who has been lodged at the high security Dhaka Central Jail.
A war crimes tribunal had sentenced Mollah to life imprisonment on February 5. The Appellate Division revised the verdict on September 17 and raised it to death penalty.
Based on the highest court's verdict, the tribunal issued the death warrant for Mollah.
For his atrocities and for siding with Pakistani troops during the 1971 Liberation War, Mollah was dubbed as the “Butcher of Mirpur”.
The execution of the death penalty of Mollah was stayed less than two hours before he was set to be hanged on Tuesday.
