Bangladesh executed a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party on Sept. 3 for war crimes committed during the country's 1971 war of independence. Mir Quasem Ali was accused of murder, confinement, torture, and inciting religious hatred. In all, five leaders of the party have been executed [BBC report] for war crimes in the country in recent years. Ali was arrested in 2010 and convicted of eight charges in 2014. He was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh (ICTB) and the sentence was upheld by the Bangladeshi Supreme Court in March. UN humans rights experts urged the government of Bangladesh to repeal the death sentence imposed on Ali for failing to meet international standards on fair trial and due process for the imposition of the death penalty.

The ICTB, established in 2009 under the International Crimes Act, is charged with investigating and prosecuting war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence. During the conflict, more than 3 million people are believed to have died and thousands of women raped, but the Jamaat-e-Islami party insists it did not commit any war crimes. Human rights groups have criticized death sentences imposed by the ICTB, stating that trials of war criminals have  "failed to meet international standards."

From Jurist, Sept. 4. Used with permission.