Death row convict Abul Kalam Azad surrenders to tribunal

Abul Kalam Azad, a fugitive convict sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, has surrendered to the tribunal. He was charged with eight crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. He surrendered this morning, Wednesday (January 21).
Last year, Abul Kalam Azad applied to the Home Ministry to suspend his sentence. He made this application under Section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Earlier, on January 21, 2013, Justice Obaidul Hasan, Chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal-2, sentenced him to death.
He was found guilty of seven out of the eight crimes against humanity. He could have been sentenced to death in three and imprisonment in four, but the tribunal did not sentence him to death because it had a provision for the death penalty. Another charge was dismissed as the prosecution could not prove it.
During the Liberation War, Abul Kalam Azad was found guilty of killing 14 people, raping three women, kidnapping 9 people, detaining 10 people, burning five houses and looting 15 houses.
The verdict against Abul Kalam Azad was the first verdict in a war crimes case. However, he could not be produced before the tribunal as he was a fugitive. Law enforcement officials said that he fled India and went to Pakistan before an arrest warrant was issued against him.
The trial in the case concluded on December 26, 2012, with both sides presenting their arguments. The tribunal then ordered a stay of proceedings (CAV). Earlier, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 had started pronouncing its verdict against Abul Kalam Azad, who was accused of crimes against humanity in 1971.