BANGLADESH: PRESIDENT PARDONS TWENTY DEATH ROW CONVICTS

Bangladesh has granted clemency to 20 death row inmates under a presidential pardon, as they awaited execution for murdering a local leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party in 2004, officials said.
Ten of them were released at around midnight yesterday from Dhaka Central Jal hours after President Zillur Rahman issued the clemency, while four others were released today from the northwestern Rajshahi Central Jail, the officials said.
"The remaining six could not be released instantly from Rajshahi jail as they are faced with several others cases for which they would require bail orders from the court to be freed," deputy inspector general of prisons Partha Gopal Banik told 'Gulf News'.
A home ministry official said only one of the convict in the Sabbir Hossain Gama murder case was not offered clemency as he is on the run.
The 20 were activists of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League who were handed down the death penalties in 2005 by a fast track Speedy Trial Tribunal.