Prosecutors have appealed to the Supreme Court seeking the death penalty for Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) chief Hasanul Haq Inu, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity committed during the July 2024 mass uprising.

International Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim announced the development on Monday.

He said the prosecution considered the 10-year sentence handed down by the tribunal inadequate and had challenged it on 11 grounds.

“The prosecution has appealed to the Supreme Court seeking to increase Hasanul Haq Inu’s 10-year sentence to the death penalty,” Tamim said.

The appeal also seeks the maximum punishment on several charges of which Inu was acquitted, according to the prosecutor.

Tamim said national and international jurisprudence required the gravity and scale of an attack to be considered when determining punishment.

The number of people subjected to violence, the numbers killed and injured, and society’s expectations in cases involving such crimes were among the factors raised in the appeal, he said.

Tamim also pointed to the tribunal’s observations about Inu’s conversations with then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, his advice on suppressing the movement, and recommendations involving the imposition of a curfew and arrests.

The prosecution argues that those findings are inconsistent with the tribunal’s decision to sentence Inu to 10 years in prison.

Tamim said the appeal also cited international jurisprudence in arguing that orders from a senior civilian leader such as Inu could carry even greater influence than those of a military commander.

“A military commander’s subordinates may or may not follow an order,” he said.

“But a civilian leader can create an environment for crimes to be committed through orders as well as speeches and inciting statements.”

Tamim said the prosecution had asked the Supreme Court to allow the appeal and impose the maximum punishment available under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act.

The prosecution had also sought the maximum punishment for Inu during closing arguments at the trial in May, citing what it described as his “superior command responsibility” and involvement in a “criminal conspiracy”.

The defence, meanwhile, sought his acquittal, arguing that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against him.

International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, convicted Inu on three of eight charges on Jun 30. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on each of the three counts, with fines of Tk 100,000 on two of them. The tribunal ordered the three prison terms to run concurrently, leaving Inu with an effective sentence of 10 years and a total fine of Tk 200,000.

The full verdict was published on Sept 20.