Bangladesh mutiny soldiers sentenced to die

(UPI) -- More than 150 soldiers were sentenced to death Tuesday for the 2009 mutiny at the headquarters of the Bangladeshi boarder guards that left 74 people dead.

Investigators brought charges against 846 people -- four others died while in custody -- for murder, rape, arson, looting weapons and conspiracy for the two-day revolt in which several thousand members of the Bangladesh Rifles unit overtook the headquarters in the capitol Dhaka.

While 152 people were given a death sentence, another 162 were sentenced to life in prison, said Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman, a senior judge at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Court. Another 262 people received prison terms between three and 10 years, while 271 were acquitted.

"The atrocities were so heinous that even the dead bodies were not given their rights," Akhtaruzzaman said.

While Shamim Sardar, a defense attorney, said he planned to appeal, state prosecutor Mosharrof Hossain Kazal said the state was considering appealing the acquittals. But even those acquitted would still be kept imprisoned as they had been separately convicted in military tribunals.

Among those killed in the February 2009 rebellion were army soldiers stationed at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters. The boarder guards were demanding better pay and perks, as well as the withdrawal of all army soldiers from the guard.

The guards took control of the headquarters, killed the officers and held their families hostage for two days as the revolt spread to two other army bases before being put down. Some 6,000 soldiers have been imprisoned for the two-day uprising.