Sheikh Hasina, ousted in August 2024, has been sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal for alleged crimes against humanity.
Hasina rejected the charges, calling the tribunal 'rigged' and the interim government 'unelected' and 'extremist.'
The verdict comes ahead of Bangladesh’s February elections, from which the Awami League has been barred.
Sheikh Hasina, ousted prime minister of Bangladesh, is sentenced to death after a trial in absentia in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina on Monday remarked that the judgement is politically motivated against her. The judgement is been made by a ‘rigged tribunal’ established and presided over by an ‘unelected government with no democratic mandate’.
In her statement, the 78-year-old Awami League leader, who has been living in India since she was deposed as prime minister of Bangladesh on August 5, last year following massive violent protests, said “brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government" are against her and her party. PTI reported.
"I wholly deny the accusations that have been made against me in the ICT," said Hasina after the death sentence was pronounced on Monday by the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for ‘crimes against humanity’ over her government's crackdown on student-led protests last year. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
In its verdict that followed a months-long trial, the ICT described her as the ‘mastermind and principal architect’ of the violent repression that killed hundreds of protesters, according to PTI’s report.
Hasina also said that she was not afraid to face her ‘accusers’ in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly.
"That is why I have repeatedly challenged the interim government to bring these charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague." said Hasina in her statement.
This verdict is considered important as it is delivered months before parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from contesting the elections scheduled to be held in February. High security is deployed in Bangladesh ahead of this verdict.
Hasina attacked the interim government saying, "Their purpose was to ‘scapegoat’ the Awami League and to ‘distract global attention from the failings of Yunus and his ministers.” PTI reported.
In recent media interviews, Hasina described the ICT as a ‘kangaroo court’ run by her political opponents. The Yunus-led interim government in Dhaka took charge after the fall of the Hasina government.
(With inputs from PTI)
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