Full verdict on Sayedee's appeal to be released soon

The Supreme Court is likely to release its full verdict within few days on the appeal of war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee challenging the death penalty handed down to him by a war crimes tribunal, SC sources said.

The release of full judgment will pave the way for both the government and defence to move petitions before the apex court seeking review of its judgment that sentenced the Jamaat-e-Islami leader to imprisonment until his death.

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On February 28, 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 sentenced Sayedee to death for committing crimes against humanity and war crimes during the country's 1971 Liberation War.

The SC on September 17 last year announced a short order in which it commuted his death sentence to imprisonment until death.

A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by the then Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, delivered the verdict based on majority views after hearing an appeal filed by the convict.

Of the judges, Justice Md Muzammel Hossain (now retired), Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha (now the chief justice) and Justice Hasan Foez Siddique gave Sayedee imprisonment until his death, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah acquitted him of all charges, and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik (now retired) upheld the capital punishment, according to SC sources.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam earlier told The Daily Star that his office would move a review petition before the SC seeking death sentence for Sayedee after getting the full judgement.

Meanwhile, Sayedee's lawyer Shishir Manir said his client would file a review petition for acquittal.