International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT-1) on Monday awarded 90 years’ imprisonment to former Jamaat Ameer Ghulam Azam for his involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971.The ICT-1 led by its chairman ATM Fazle Kabir, flanked by the two other members Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Anwarul Haque’pronounced the verdict in the jam-packed courtroom between 10.50 am and 1.42 pm in presence of the former Jamaat Ameer. He was taken to the tribunal at 10.05 am.
The verdict says that the prosecution successfully proved all five war crime charges against Ghulam Azam, but he was not awarded death sentence considering his old age and illness.
Deputy Attorney General MK Rahman disclosed to the journalists in his reaction immediately after the verdict that the prosecution will appeal against the pronounced punishment of the tribunal.
Meanwhile, terming the long-term rigorous imprisonment of Ghulam Azam “unjust’’, his son former Brigadier General Abdullahil Amaan Azmi maintained that the charges are “false, fabricated and baseless.’’
While talking to the journalists at the ICT complex he further said, “The judgment made us aggrieved. But we are not surprised.” He also said that the prosecution could not prove his father’s crime to give him imprisonment even for a minute.
Later Azmi said that they are not worried about the life of his father as death and life depend on Allah and the final summon comes from the sky.
He also claimed that no crime was committed either at his father’s order or in his presence. He was only an ordinary of the then Peace Committee. He was never given any commanding authority and he met the then General Tikka Khan on April 4, ten days after the fateful March 25. He never belonged to the Government.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Barrister Tuhin Afroz told the media men at TCT that the prosecution is contemplating to move an appeal against the verdict as following Section 20 of the International Crimes Tribunals Act 1973, the tribunal could not avoid death punishment in such a grave situation.
She also said as mentioned by the tribunal they were able to prove all five charges brought against the nonagenarian retired Jamaat leader beyond all doubt.
Ghulam Azam, was arrested on January 11, 2012, and indicted on five charges, which include involvement in murder and torture of unarmed people, conspiracy, planning, incitement and complicity in genocide, and crimes against humanity during Liberation War.
– Court Correspondent
