The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, seeking maximum punishment for five former police personnel convicted in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of six people in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area during the July Uprising.

Briefing journalists at the tribunal premises, Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said the appeal challenges the tribunal’s observations that resulted in comparatively lesser sentences for some of the convicts and seeks the highest penalty for them.

On January 26, the tribunal sentenced three accused to death and handed down varying prison terms to five others.

Those sentenced to death are: former Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman, former joint commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, and former additional deputy commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam.

Former assistant commissioner of Ramna zone Mohammad Imrul was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, former Shahbagh Police Station inspector (operations) Arshad Hossain to four years, and constables Sujan Hossain, Imaz Hossain and Nasirul Islam to three years each.

Prosecution sought capital punishment for these five accused.

Prosecutor Tamim said there is no scope for the convicts to secure release while the appeal remains pending. “Apart from bail, there is no other process for release. Since our appeal and petition have been filed, now there is no opportunity for them to get out,” he added.