Bangladesh's deposed prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has been sentenced to death in absentia by a court in Dhaka for crimes against humanity over a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. A three-judge bench of the country's international crimes tribunal convicted her of incitement, ordering killings and failing to prevent atrocities.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder said Hasina had committed crimes against humanity by ordering the use of drones, helicopters and lethal weapons against civilians. Hasina, who lives in exile in India, had pleaded not guilty and dismissed the tribunal as a 'politically motivated charade'. The former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, her co-accused, was also sentenced to death.
The United Nations human rights office called the verdict 'an important moment for victims' but expressed regret over the death penalty. Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the UN opposed capital punishment in all circumstances and reiterated calls for accountability in line with international standards.
Hasina fled to India in August last year after the uprising, which began as a student movement and escalated into a nationwide revolt known as the 'July revolution'. The UN estimates up to 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown, making it the worst political violence in Bangladesh since independence in 1971. Indian authorities have ignored extradition requests.
Security was tight in Dhaka ahead of the ruling, with a 'shoot-on-sight' order issued for anyone throwing explosives or setting vehicles on fire. A crude bomb was hurled near the court on Monday, causing panic. In her response, Hasina claimed she had not been given a fair chance to defend herself and said the verdict was delivered by a 'rigged tribunal'.
