The Supreme Court today deferred the hearing on the appeals filed by three convicted war criminals to November 21, against death sentence awarded by a war trial tribunal.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear the appeals of ATM Azharul Islam and Syed Mohammad Kaisar today, while that of another Abdus Sobhan on October 16.

A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah passed the deferral after the defense prayed for the adjournment to prepare for placing arguments.

Advocate Joynal Abedin, Advocate HM Shahjahan and Advocate Shishir Monir appeared for the accused convicted and sentenced to die by International Crimes Tribunal.

Earlier, the war trial tribunal sentenced Jamaat leaders Azharul and Abdus Sobhan and former Jatiya Party State Minister Syed Mohammad Kaiser to death war crimes in 1971.

They then filed separate appeals with the Supreme Court seeking acquittal of the charges.

Justice Abdul Wahhab Miah is discharging the duties of Chief Justice in absence of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha.