[JURIST] The Bangladesh High Court [Banglapedia backgrounder] on Thursday confirmed the death sentences that a trial court imposed [JURIST report] in May on seven Islamic militants who murdered two judges [JURIST report] in a bombing last year. The men include the leaders of two banned groups: Shayek Abdur Rahman of Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) [SATP backgrounder], which wants to turn Bangladesh into an Islamic state governed by Sharia law [CFR backgrounder], and Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai of Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh [SATP backgrounder]. The five other men are lower-level JMB commanders. A two-judge High Court panel spent six days considering the automatic review of the death sentences.

Barring an appeal, which may be filed within 30 days, the convicts will be hanged after October 1. One remains at large, having been tried in absentia. Earlier this month, another court in Bangladesh [JURIST news archive] sentenced three JMB members to death [JURIST report] and five others to life in prison for their involvement in a series of bombings on police, court and government buildings [JURIST report; BBC report] last year. Reuters has more. The Bangladesh Observer has local coverage.