Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami has appealed to the Supreme Court

Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami

A lawyer of death-row convict Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami has appealed to the Supreme Court to commute his client’s death sentence to life term imprisonment.

Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, lawyer of death-raw convict Motiur Rahman Nizami, appealed to the Supreme Court during the Wednesday’s argument hearing mentioning that “Commute the client’s death sentence to life term imprisonment if he is found guilty for committing crimes during the country’s Liberation War in 1971”.

He prayed to the apex court to acquit Nizami of all the charges saying that he was not directly involved in any charge brought against him.

Defense counsels placed their arguments for the third day to the four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.

The other members of the bench are Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Hasan Fayez Siddique and Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.

According to court order, defense counsels can place their arguments for three consecutive days, which started from November 30. Wednesday was the last day to present arguments before court for defense counsels. The state counsels will place their arguments on December 7.

Earlier October 29, 2014, International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Enayetur Rahim awarded Motiur Rahman Nizami death sentence for his atrocities during the war of liberation in 1971.

Eight, out of 16 charges brought against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer were proved. Nizami was given death penalties on charges of massacre of intellectuals, rape, looting, destroying of property and compelling Hindus to leave the country.

On November 23 last year, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami challenged the ICT-1 verdict.