Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today acquitted Mobarak Hossain of Akhaura in Brahmanbaria district from the death penalty for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity in 1971.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, pronounced the verdict, effectively overturning a previous judgment given by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-1). Senior lawyers S M Shahjahan and Imran A Siddque represented Mobarak Hossain, while ICT Prosecutor Gazi M H Tamim appeared on behalf of the prosecution.
The ICT-1 had, in a judgment on November 24, 2014, awarded the death penalty and life-term imprisonment to Mobarak Hossain for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. During the trial, two out of five charges were proven, while he was acquitted of the remaining three charges.
Subsequently, in 2014, Mobarak Hossain filed an appeal to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, seeking the cancellation of the judgment and his acquittal from the charges.