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Bangladesh's Kamaruzzaman sentenced to death Bangladesh's Kamaruzzaman sentenced to death
(35 minutes later)
Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, the deputy head of Bangladesh's opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party, has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity by the country's war crimes tribunal. The deputy head of Bangladesh's opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party has been sentenced to death by the country's war crimes tribunal.
He was charged with seven counts of torture and mass murder during the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman was found guilty on five out of seven counts of torture and mass murder committed during the 1971 war of independence.
The nine-month war of secession left up to three million people dead. The nine-month war of secession from Pakistan killed as many as three million people.
The tribunal was set up in 2010 to try people accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces and killing civilians. The tribunal was set up in 2010 to try people accused of collaboration.
Jamaat-e-Islami accuses the government of using the proceedings to curb the opposition's activities, while international rights groups say the tribunal falls short of international standards. Jamaat-e-Islami accuses the government of using the proceedings to curb the opposition's activities ahead of elections scheduled for next year.
International rights groups, meanwhile, say the tribunal falls short of international standards.
Street battles
The conviction comes at a testing time for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has made prosecution of 1971 war crimes one of her government's key goals.
Analysts say the death sentence will only exacerbate an already febrile situation in a country where police and Islamist protesters have this week been fighting deadly battles on the streets of the capital Dhaka.
The umbrella organisation behind the protests - of which Jamaat is a part - is calling for the introduction of more Islamic laws, and has shown it can easily mobilise vast numbers onto the streets.
Nine senior figures from Jamaat - the country's largest Islamist party, which opposed the break with Pakistan - were among 12 people charged with war crimes by the tribunal.Nine senior figures from Jamaat - the country's largest Islamist party, which opposed the break with Pakistan - were among 12 people charged with war crimes by the tribunal.
All have denied the charges against them, but the convictions of three Jamaat leaders in January and March sparked protests in which dozens of people were killed. All have denied the charges against them, but the convictions of three Islamist leaders in January and March sparked protests in which dozens of people were killed.
Kamaruzzaman was charged in August 2010, a month after being arrested in a separate criminal case.Kamaruzzaman was charged in August 2010, a month after being arrested in a separate criminal case.
He was charged with being a key organiser of the al-Badr, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army which killed Bangladeshi intellectuals during the 1971 conflict.He was charged with being a key organiser of the al-Badr, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani army which killed Bangladeshi intellectuals during the 1971 conflict.
The tribunal was established by the government in 2010 to try Bangladeshis accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop the former East Pakistan from gaining independence.The tribunal was established by the government in 2010 to try Bangladeshis accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop the former East Pakistan from gaining independence.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made prosecution of 1971 war crimes a key goal of her government.