Death reference of Holey Artisan café attack verdict reaches HC

The documents in the sensational in Holey Artisan Bakery attack case reached the High Court today as a death reference to examine the trial court verdict that sentenced seven militants to death.

Officials of the Dhaka court concerned brought the documents of the case, including the judgement, to the High Court, Md Saifur Rahman, special officer of the HC, told The Daily Star.

Officials concerned of the HC received the documents, he said, adding that the HC authorities will now prepare paper books for hearing the death reference.

If a lower court sentences any person to death in a case, its judgment is examined by the HC through hearing arguments for confirmation of the death sentence. The case documents and judgment reach as death reference to the HC from the lower court in seven days after the latter delivers the verdict.

A Dhaka court on November 27 sentenced seven militants to death for their involvement in the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack, terming it a disgraceful attack aimed at assassinating the non-communal character of Bangladesh.

The Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal acquitted one accused as it found him not guilty in the atrocity that left 22 people, including 17 foreigners, dead in the capital’s Gulshan.

The judgment came more than three years after the country’s deadliest café siege which, according to the court, was aimed at endangering public safety and drawing the attention of the international militant organisation IS.

The grisly attack followed a spate of target killings of bloggers, writers, members of religious minorities and foreigners over a span of several years.