The Appellate Division on Tuesday acquitted Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam of his death sentence in a crimes against humanity case, overturning the earlier verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal.

A seven-member bench led by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the historic ruling, marking the first such acquittal in Bangladesh’s judicial history.

Azharul Islam’s legal team stated that no legal barriers remain to his release.

MN/SMS