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Bangladesh amends war crimes law, allowing prosecutors to appeal Mollah's life sentence

Associated Press
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FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2013 file photo, a Bangladeshi activist shouts slogans during the funeral procession of blogger Rajib Haider in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Haidar had been critical of the Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami, whose leader Abdul Quader Mollah was recently given a life sentence for his role in the killing of 381 civilians during the nation’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. On Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, Bangladesh parliament has amended the country’s war crimes law that will allow the prosecution to appeal the life imprisonment of an opposition leader which it says has been lenient. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2013 file photo, Bangladeshi mourners carry the coffin containing the body of blogger Rajib Haider for funeral in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Haider had been critical of the Islamic group Jamaat-e-Islami, whose leader Abdul Quader Mollah was recently given a life sentence for his role in the killing of 381 civilians during the nation’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. On Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, Bangladesh parliament has amended the country’s war crimes law that will allow the prosecution to appeal the life imprisonment of an opposition leader which it says has been lenient. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman, File) (The Associated Press)

Bangladesh's Parliament has amended the country's war crimes law, allowing prosecutors to appeal the life sentence given to an opposition leader for his role in mass killings during the 1971 war for independence.

Prior to Sunday's passing of the amendment to the 1973 war crimes law, only a defendant could appeal a sentence.

The change will allow state prosecutors to appeal the life sentence handed down to Abdul Quader Mollah for his role in the killing of 381 civilians during the 1971 war against Pakistan. The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Mollah, and many Bangladeshis took part in mass protests demanding he be executed.

Mollah is a leader of Bangladesh's largest Islamic party, Jamaat-e-islami.