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| Bangladesh cleric sentenced to death for crimes against humanity | Bangladesh cleric sentenced to death for crimes against humanity |
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| A tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced a Muslim cleric formerly tied to a fundamentalist party to death for crimes against humanity for his actions during the country's 1971 independence war. | A tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced a Muslim cleric formerly tied to a fundamentalist party to death for crimes against humanity for his actions during the country's 1971 independence war. |
| The conviction of Abul Kalam Azad on Monday was the first verdict handed down by a controversial tribunal trying people accused of committing crimes during the war. | The conviction of Abul Kalam Azad on Monday was the first verdict handed down by a controversial tribunal trying people accused of committing crimes during the war. |
| Azad, a former senior member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, is widely known for his regular appearances on a television channel and for his coloured beard. He was tried in absentia after he reportedly fled to Pakistan last April upon being charged. He was expelled from the party. | Azad, a former senior member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, is widely known for his regular appearances on a television channel and for his coloured beard. He was tried in absentia after he reportedly fled to Pakistan last April upon being charged. He was expelled from the party. |
| Jamaat-e-Islami campaigned in 1971 against Bangladesh's war of separation from Pakistan. The party stands accused of supporting or in some cases taking part in atrocities committed by Pakistani troops. | Jamaat-e-Islami campaigned in 1971 against Bangladesh's war of separation from Pakistan. The party stands accused of supporting or in some cases taking part in atrocities committed by Pakistani troops. |
| Azad's two sons and a son-in-law were arrested last year after he reportedly went on the run. They told reporters that Azad left the country hours before security officials raided his home in Dhaka. | Azad's two sons and a son-in-law were arrested last year after he reportedly went on the run. They told reporters that Azad left the country hours before security officials raided his home in Dhaka. |
| Bangladesh says that during the nine-month war Pakistani troops, aided by their local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped about 200,000 women. | Bangladesh says that during the nine-month war Pakistani troops, aided by their local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped about 200,000 women. |
| International human rights groups have raised questions about the conduct of the tribunals set up by the government in 2010 to prosecute those accused of war crimes. | International human rights groups have raised questions about the conduct of the tribunals set up by the government in 2010 to prosecute those accused of war crimes. |
| New York-based Human Rights Watch has complained about flaws in the process – including the disappearance of a defence witness outside the courthouse gates. | New York-based Human Rights Watch has complained about flaws in the process – including the disappearance of a defence witness outside the courthouse gates. |
| A judge presiding over another tribunal resigned last month after the Economist reported that it had records of Skype and email conversations between him and a Belgium-based Bangladeshi lawyer that raised serious questions about the workings of the tribunal. | A judge presiding over another tribunal resigned last month after the Economist reported that it had records of Skype and email conversations between him and a Belgium-based Bangladeshi lawyer that raised serious questions about the workings of the tribunal. |
| The courtroom was packed on Monday as judge Obaidul Hassan pronounced Azad guilty of crimes including murder, abduction and looting. | The courtroom was packed on Monday as judge Obaidul Hassan pronounced Azad guilty of crimes including murder, abduction and looting. |
| Hassan said Azad was "guilty of crimes against humanity beyond a reasonable doubt". | Hassan said Azad was "guilty of crimes against humanity beyond a reasonable doubt". |
| A former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami and its other top leaders also face prosecution. Two other men from opposition leader Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist party are also awaiting trial. | A former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami and its other top leaders also face prosecution. Two other men from opposition leader Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist party are also awaiting trial. |
| Jamaat-e-Islami – a key partner in Zia's former government – says the charges are politically motivated. Authorities deny the claim. | Jamaat-e-Islami – a key partner in Zia's former government – says the charges are politically motivated. Authorities deny the claim. |
| Zia, the longtime political rival of the current prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has called the tribunal a farce. Hasina, in turn, has urged Zia to stop backing those she says fought against the nation's quest for independence. | Zia, the longtime political rival of the current prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has called the tribunal a farce. Hasina, in turn, has urged Zia to stop backing those she says fought against the nation's quest for independence. |
| A Hasina-led political alliance, which campaigned on the issue of trying suspected war criminals during the last election, clinched a landslide victory against a Zia-led coalition that included Jamaat-e-Islami. | A Hasina-led political alliance, which campaigned on the issue of trying suspected war criminals during the last election, clinched a landslide victory against a Zia-led coalition that included Jamaat-e-Islami. |
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