London, Dec 10 (LatestNewsX) – A coalition of international human‑rights advocates has denounced recent judgments handed down by Bangladeshi courts against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a leading Awami League figure, and her associates. They argue that the rulings fall short of accepted legal standards and indicate a rollback of democratic principles, warning that the judiciary could be weaponised as a means of “political contestation”.
On 17 November, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced Hasina to death after convicting her of crimes against humanity tied to July’s protests. The tribunal also found two of her senior aides guilty: former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal received a death penalty, while ex‑Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al‑Mamun—who became a state witness—was sentenced to five years imprisonment.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) cautioned that imposing a death sentence following a trial that does not meet global fair‑trial norms would effectively amount to “summary execution and a clear violation to the right to life”. The institute added that while pursuing redress for human‑rights abuses—including those under the previous administration—is necessary, every proceeding must uphold international fair‑trial guarantees, and it condemned the use of the death penalty in all cases.
IBAHRI further pointed out that these recent trials “appear to fall short of recognised legal standards, signal democratic backsliding and highlight a justice system at risk of being used as an instrument of political contestation”. An international legal team representing Hasina highlighted serious due‑process deficiencies, such as the absence of formal charge notifications, the denial of her choosing counsel, and reliance on a state‑appointed lawyer with whom she had no contact.
On 1 December, a Dhaka court imposed a five‑year prison term on Hasina over irregularities in plots allocated under the Purbachal New Town project. She’s not the only one fined; her sister, Sheikh Rehana, was handed a seven‑year sentence, and her niece, UK MP Tulip Siddiq, received two years imprisonment.
IBAHRI co‑chair Mark Stephens condemned the rulings, noting that reports of harassment and intimidation of defense lawyers—such as those involved with Tulip Siddiq’s case—threaten the core right to a fair trial and erode the rule of law in Bangladesh. He stressed that the Muhammad Yunus‑led interim government must allow legal professionals to operate safely and independently, ensuring a genuine commitment to justice rather than political retribution.
The institute has called on the interim government to halt all executions, enact a formal moratorium on the death penalty, and commit to its complete and permanent abolition.
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