Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, who was acquitted by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday in a case over crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, has been released from jail.

Azharul Islam was released from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj while undergoing treatment at Bangladesh Medical University on Wednesday morning.

Prior to his release, a copy of the Appellate Division’s verdict acquitting Azharul Islam was delivered to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj. After verifying the documents, prison authorities completed the necessary formalities for his release.

Confirming the matter, Md Jahangir Kabir, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons, Dhaka Division, said, “Azharul Islam was released from the hospital at 9:05 am.”

On December 30, 2014, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced the then Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami, Azharul Islam, to death for charges 2, 3, and 4. He was also sentenced to 25 years` imprisonment for charge 5 (abduction, torture, and rape), and five years for charge 6 (torture).

Following the appeal hearing against the tribunal’s verdict, on October 31, 2019, the Appellate Division bench led by then Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain upheld the death sentence. The verdict confirmed the convictions on charges 2, 3, 4 (by majority opinion), and 6, while acquitting him of charge 5.

The full text of the Appellate Division’s verdict was published on March 15, 2020. Subsequently, on July 19, 2020, ATM Azhar filed a 23-page review petition, citing 14 grounds for reconsideration.

After a hearing on the review petition, on February 26 this year, the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, granted Azharul Islam permission to appeal against the death sentence in the war crimes case. He subsequently filed the appeal.