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| Clashes in Bangladesh ahead of Azam war crimes verdict | Clashes in Bangladesh ahead of Azam war crimes verdict |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police in Bangladesh have clashed with supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami party as a tribunal delivers its verdict in the trial of an Islamist leader charged with war crimes. | |
| Ghulam Azam, 91, is accused of orchestrating atrocities during the country's 1971 war of independence. | Ghulam Azam, 91, is accused of orchestrating atrocities during the country's 1971 war of independence. |
| He denies the charges, which supporters say are politically motivated. Prosecutors want the death penalty. | He denies the charges, which supporters say are politically motivated. Prosecutors want the death penalty. |
| Previous verdicts against Islamist leaders have led to violent protests. | Previous verdicts against Islamist leaders have led to violent protests. |
| This would be the fifth sentence passed on current and former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's main Islamist party, by a controversial special tribunal. | This would be the fifth sentence passed on current and former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's main Islamist party, by a controversial special tribunal. |
| The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh was set up by the current Awami League-led government in 2010 to try alleged collaborators of the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war of independence. | The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh was set up by the current Awami League-led government in 2010 to try alleged collaborators of the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war of independence. |
| Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards. | Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards. |
| Spiritual leader | Spiritual leader |
| Prosecutors say Mr Azam should receive the death penalty for his role in setting up violent militia groups that killed and raped thousands of people. | Prosecutors say Mr Azam should receive the death penalty for his role in setting up violent militia groups that killed and raped thousands of people. |
| He is accused of planning, conspiracy, incitement, complicity and murder in more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity. | He is accused of planning, conspiracy, incitement, complicity and murder in more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity. |
| But his defence lawyers say the charges are based only on newspaper reports of Mr Azam's speeches at the time, and none have been proved. | But his defence lawyers say the charges are based only on newspaper reports of Mr Azam's speeches at the time, and none have been proved. |
| Jamaat has called for a general strike in protest. | Jamaat has called for a general strike in protest. |
| Mr Azam was the party's leader from 1969 until 2000 and is seen by many as its spiritual leader. | Mr Azam was the party's leader from 1969 until 2000 and is seen by many as its spiritual leader. |
| Described by his party colleagues as a writer and Islamic thinker, Mr Azan was strongly opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community. | Described by his party colleagues as a writer and Islamic thinker, Mr Azan was strongly opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community. |
| Police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse Jamaat-e-Islam supporters protesting in Dhaka and several other cities on Monday. | |
| Journalists were among those injured in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say. | |
| More than 100 people have been killed since January in political violence sparked by verdicts handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal. | More than 100 people have been killed since January in political violence sparked by verdicts handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal. |
| Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards. | Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards. |
| The BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka says there is broad support in Bangladesh for the crimes committed during its liberation war to be punished. | The BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka says there is broad support in Bangladesh for the crimes committed during its liberation war to be punished. |
| But these trials have shown that coming to terms with the country's bloody inception has proven difficult for Bangladeshis, our correspondent adds. | But these trials have shown that coming to terms with the country's bloody inception has proven difficult for Bangladeshis, our correspondent adds. |
| The exact number of people killed during Bangladesh's nine-month war of secession is unclear: official Bangladeshi figures suggest as many as three million people died, but independent researchers suggest the death toll was around 500,000. | The exact number of people killed during Bangladesh's nine-month war of secession is unclear: official Bangladeshi figures suggest as many as three million people died, but independent researchers suggest the death toll was around 500,000. |