The Jamaat-e-Islami has called a shutdown for Thursday in protest against the Supreme Court’s rejection of Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid’s petition for a review of his death sentence on charges of war crimes committed in the course of the War of Liberation in 1971.

In a statement moments after the pronouncement of the court verdict on Wednesday, the party dubbed the case against its secretary general as “false and fabricated”.

An appeal bench headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha upheld Mujahid’s death sentence on Wednesday.

Jamaat’s acting chief Maqbul Ahmed said Mujahid had been “denied justice”.

The former social welfare minister was sentenced to death on July 17, 2013 by a tribunal for the murder of intellectuals and his involvement in the killing and torture of Hindus in 1971.

He had appealed to the top court, seeking the revocation of his death penalty, but a bench led by Chief Justice Sinha upheld the tribunal verdict on June 16.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said there were no more legal obstacles to the war criminal’s execution.

Mujahid’s only option now is to seek mercy from the president.

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