This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23310518
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh Islamist Ghulam Azam found guilty of war crimes | Bangladesh Islamist Ghulam Azam found guilty of war crimes |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A war crimes court has found Islamist leader Ghulam Azam guilty of five charges relating to Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence with Pakistan. | |
| Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years in jail for his involvement in mass killings and rape during the war. | Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years in jail for his involvement in mass killings and rape during the war. |
| Supporters of Bangladesh's main Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, which he led from 1969 until 2000, clashed with police ahead of the verdict. | Supporters of Bangladesh's main Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, which he led from 1969 until 2000, clashed with police ahead of the verdict. |
| It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders. | It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders. |
| The court found Mr Azam, 90, guilty of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder. | The court found Mr Azam, 90, guilty of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder. |
| He faced more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity for his role in setting up militia groups which carried out atrocities during the war. | He faced more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity for his role in setting up militia groups which carried out atrocities during the war. |
| Mr Azam has denied the charges, which his supporters say were politically motivated. | Mr Azam has denied the charges, which his supporters say were politically motivated. |
| The prosecution had been seeking the death penalty. | The prosecution had been seeking the death penalty. |
| But the three-judge panel said that while Mr Azam deserved capital punishment, he received a prison term because of his advanced age. | But the three-judge panel said that while Mr Azam deserved capital punishment, he received a prison term because of his advanced age. |
| Spiritual leader | Spiritual leader |
| The mood in Bangladesh is tense, with police on all major streets of the capital and security beefed up around the country, the BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka says. | The mood in Bangladesh is tense, with police on all major streets of the capital and security beefed up around the country, the BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka says. |
| Before the verdict was announce, police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse Jamaat-e-Islam supporters protesting in Dhaka and several other cities on Monday. | Before the verdict was announce, police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse Jamaat-e-Islam supporters protesting in Dhaka and several other cities on Monday. |
| Journalists were among a number of people hurt in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say. | Journalists were among a number of people hurt in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say. |
| On the eve of the verdict there were sporadic clashes in different parts of the capital with reports of some injuries, he adds. | On the eve of the verdict there were sporadic clashes in different parts of the capital with reports of some injuries, he adds. |
| Previous verdicts for former Jamaat leaders have led to deadly protests involving party supporters. | Previous verdicts for former Jamaat leaders have led to deadly protests involving party supporters. |
| 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. |
| Pro-government groups have also taken to the streets demanding death sentences for those being tried, accusing the tribunal of being too lenient. | Pro-government groups have also taken to the streets demanding death sentences for those being tried, accusing the tribunal of being too lenient. |
| In February, thousands staged vigils in Dhaka demanding the death penalty for Abdul Kader Mullah, who was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity. | In February, thousands staged vigils in Dhaka demanding the death penalty for Abdul Kader Mullah, who was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity. |
| Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and the party's assistant secretary-general, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, were both indicted and sentenced to death by the tribunal earlier this year. | Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and the party's assistant secretary-general, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, were both indicted and sentenced to death by the tribunal earlier this year. |
| 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. |
| Mr Azam's defence lawyers say the charges are based only on newspaper reports of Mr Azam's speeches at the time, and none have been proved. | Mr Azam's 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 party colleagues as a writer and Islamic thinker, Mr Azam was strongly opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community. | Described by party colleagues as a writer and Islamic thinker, Mr Azam was strongly opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community. |
| 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. |