Newsman: The International Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD) has announced capital punishment for Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for committing crimes against humanity. The Court on Monday ,held ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty in a case tied to alleged crimes against humanity during last year’s student-led uprising, leaving the country in one of its most tense days in recent past.
The former leader was tried in absentia and is still in asylum in India.
The ICT, during of its creation was accused by Human Rights Watch and other groups of not meeting international standards. On Monday, HRW’s South Asia deputy director Meenakshi Ganguly posted on social media: “Bangladesh should ensure a credible justice system, abolish capital punishment.”
The charges stem from the July–August 2024 student uprising, during which prosecutors said Hasina directed security forces to use lethal force, authorised weapons deployment and oversaw actions that led to deaths and injuries across Dhaka, Rangpur and other cities.
In a 453-page judgment, the court convicted Sheikh Hasina and said that it has modified certain charges against Hasina including murder, attempted murder, torture and other inhumane acts. A key charge accuses Sheikh Hasina of ordering the “extermination” of protesters. The court also found her guilty of making inflammatory remarks and directing the use of deadly weapons against students.
