Bangladesh court upholds death penalty in blogger case

By Mainul Islam Khan

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - A high court in the capital Dhaka Sunday upheld the death penalty of two convicts and jail terms of six others for their roles in the murder of a prominent Bangladeshi blogger in 2013, according to a local news outlet.

Rajib Haider was hacked to death in February 2013 near his house in Dhaka, "bdnews24.com" media said.

Haider was said to be an activist of a movement demanding capital punishment for those involved in grave crimes during the country’s war of independence.

He wrote blogs under the pseudonym Thaba Baba.

The convicts may approach the Supreme Court's appellate division to challenge the decision.

A Dhaka-based court had convicted the suspects in December 2015.

Police had charged a member of Ansarullah Bangla Team, the organization which claimed the murder, and seven university students in the murder case in January 2014.