DHAKA: Syed Mohammad Qaisar, a former Jatiya Party state minister, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the death penalty awarded to him for crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

Challenging the verdict, Qaisar’s lawyers on Monday submitted an appeal to the appellate division of the apex court mentioning 56 grounds in support of cancelation of the verdict.

In the appeal, defense lawyers sought Qaisar’s acquittal from the charges claiming him innocent.

On December 23 last year, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) awarded death penalty to Syed Mohammad Qaisar for seven wartime crime charges brought against him.

Tribunal, however, found Qaisar guilty in 14 charges out of 16 charges including of genocide, rape, killing, attack, arson and lootings committed during the Liberation War.

On May 16, police arrested Qaisar from a city’s private hospital a day after the tribunal had issued an arrest warrant against him.

BDST: 1450 HRS, JAN 19, 2015