War crimes: Bangladesh court imposes death sentence on Jamaat-e-Islami leader

Abdul Quader Mollah was found guilty of murder, rape and torture by the tribunal.

DHAKA/ BANGLADESH: Bangladesh's Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced a top leader to death for war crimes during the country's 1971 war, rejecting an earlier life sentence imposed by a war crimes tribunal.

The tribunal found Abdul Quader Mollah, assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, guilty of murder, rape and torture on the February 5.

The life sentence imposed at the time triggered protests by people hoping he would get the death penalty.

In response to such protests, Bangladesh's parliament amended a law to allow the state to appeal any verdict reached in the war crimes trials deemed inadequate.

More than 100 people have been killed in protests and counter-protests since January, when the tribunal set up by the government delivered its first verdict.