Kamaruzzaman to file review petition tomorrow

File Photo of Muhammad Kamaruzzaman

Condemned war criminal Muhammad Kamaruzzaman will file a review petition with the Supreme Court tomorrow against its verdict that upheld his death penalty for his crimes against humanity in 1971, one of his counsels said today.

Advocate Shishir Manir told this to The Daily Star after he along with four other lawyers held a 30-minute meeting with Kamaruzzaman at Dhaka Central Jail in the morning that started at 11:10am.

Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, will decide whether he will seek presidential mercy after consulting his lawyer if his review petition is rejected, Shishir said quoting his client.

During the meeting, Kamaruzzaman claimed himself to be innocent saying he was not involved in any wartime offences labelled against him quoted Shishir Manir.

Kamaruzzaman hoped that he will get justice in the review petition, the lawyer said adding his client was mentally and physically well.

Four other lawyers who met with Kamaruzzaman are -- Tajul Islam, Ehsan A Siddique, Najibur Rahman and Matiur Rahman Akond.

The prison authorities read out Kamaruzzaman's death warrant to him on February 19, the day International Crimes Tribunal-2 issued the warrant. The Supreme Court released the verdict's full text on the previous day.

On November 3, 2014, the Supreme Court upheld the May 9, 2013 death penalty handed down by the Tribunal-2 for crimes that Kamaruzzaman committed against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

The 63-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami senior assistant secretary general was found guilty of mass killing, murder, abduction, torture, rape, persecution, and abetment of torture in greater Mymensingh district in 1971.