Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia for her role in a deadly crackdown on student protesters last year. The ruling comes after a three-judge panel found her guilty of inciting violence, ordering the use of lethal force, and failing to prevent atrocities against civilians.
In a dramatic verdict read out by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, the court found that Hasina had "committed crimes against humanity" through her orders for drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons to be used against protesters. The sentence was met with jubilation from family members of those killed in the crackdown.
The International Crimes Tribunal, set up by Hasina's government, tried the case despite criticism from human rights groups who claimed it fell short of fair-trial standards and retained the right to impose the death penalty. UN officials described the sentencing as an "important moment for victims," but also expressed regret over the imposition of the death penalty.
The crackdown on protesters in February 2023 sparked widespread violence, with estimates suggesting up to 1,400 people were killed. Hasina's government had promised a fair trial after her ousting last year, but critics accused the tribunal of being used to pursue politically motivated cases.
As news of the sentence spread, Bangladesh's capital Dhaka was on high alert, with security tightened across the city. Demonstrations broke out in response, and a crude bomb was hurled at a court in Dhaka just hours before the verdict.
Hasina has been living in exile in India since August last year, and the Indian government has ignored requests for her extradition to face trial. Her lawyers had argued that she should be given a fair chance to defend herself, but the court rejected this claim.
The sentencing has sparked outrage from Hasina's supporters, who fear it could spark mass unrest ahead of Bangladesh's first election since her ousting in early February. Despite being banned from participating in the elections, Hasina's party vowed to cause widespread chaos in response to her conviction.
For many, including family members of those killed in the crackdown, the verdict brought long-awaited justice and catharsis. Golam Rahman, who lost his son in the violence, said the death sentence was "the only acceptable verdict" for his child's murder.
As Hasina prepares to face the consequences of her conviction, it remains to be seen how she will respond. Her family has vowed to fight back against what they see as a politically motivated attack, and the prospect of unrest ahead of the elections is growing by the day.
In a dramatic verdict read out by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, the court found that Hasina had "committed crimes against humanity" through her orders for drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons to be used against protesters. The sentence was met with jubilation from family members of those killed in the crackdown.
The International Crimes Tribunal, set up by Hasina's government, tried the case despite criticism from human rights groups who claimed it fell short of fair-trial standards and retained the right to impose the death penalty. UN officials described the sentencing as an "important moment for victims," but also expressed regret over the imposition of the death penalty.
The crackdown on protesters in February 2023 sparked widespread violence, with estimates suggesting up to 1,400 people were killed. Hasina's government had promised a fair trial after her ousting last year, but critics accused the tribunal of being used to pursue politically motivated cases.
As news of the sentence spread, Bangladesh's capital Dhaka was on high alert, with security tightened across the city. Demonstrations broke out in response, and a crude bomb was hurled at a court in Dhaka just hours before the verdict.
Hasina has been living in exile in India since August last year, and the Indian government has ignored requests for her extradition to face trial. Her lawyers had argued that she should be given a fair chance to defend herself, but the court rejected this claim.
The sentencing has sparked outrage from Hasina's supporters, who fear it could spark mass unrest ahead of Bangladesh's first election since her ousting in early February. Despite being banned from participating in the elections, Hasina's party vowed to cause widespread chaos in response to her conviction.
For many, including family members of those killed in the crackdown, the verdict brought long-awaited justice and catharsis. Golam Rahman, who lost his son in the violence, said the death sentence was "the only acceptable verdict" for his child's murder.
As Hasina prepares to face the consequences of her conviction, it remains to be seen how she will respond. Her family has vowed to fight back against what they see as a politically motivated attack, and the prospect of unrest ahead of the elections is growing by the day.
this is like so sad but also kind of good that justice was finally served for those who lost loved ones 
it's crazy how hasina can just live in india while her people back home are still dealing with the aftermath of what happened last year 
i feel bad for her family, they must be going through so much 
but on the other hand, i think it's amazing that the court was able to find her guilty and sentence her to death 
hope this brings some closure to those who are still grieving 
, death sentence for someone who's been on the run for ages just feels too extreme, especially when you consider she was in power & had access to all that firepower... but I guess it's some kind of justice for those 1400+ people who lost their lives in the crackdown 
, still really sad about the fact that human rights groups felt the trial wasn't fair 
, and now it's just gonna spark more unrest ahead of the elections 
I'm just not buying into this whole thing 
. A death sentence in absentia for someone who's been living in exile? That's just a way to silence her forever 
. And let's be real, the International Crimes Tribunal was already shady 
. I mean, what even is fair-trial standards when it comes down to it? It's all about politics and optics at this point 
.
. This conviction was bound to happen sooner or later, but now they're blaming the wrong people 
. Hasina's party is just trying to stir up some chaos and distract from their own shortcomings 
.
, but do we really think this is going to bring closure for the families of those who lost loved ones? Or is it just a way to keep them in line 
. Either way, I've got my eyes on this situation and I'll be waiting to see how it all unfolds 
like how can one person's actions lead to such devastating consequences? the death penalty itself is already a pretty huge deal, but in this case it feels like they're trying to make an example out of her and use it to distract from the real issues at hand. i'm curious to see how bangladesh handles all the fallout from this now - i hope they can find a way to bring some semblance of justice and healing to the families of those who lost loved ones 
that Sheikh Hasina's getting sentenced to death for her role in the student protest crackdown. Like, I get it, thousands of people lost their lives, but isn't this gonna cause more problems than it solves? The Indian government ignoring requests for extradition is just a huge red flag 
Like, isn't that just the definition of a kangaroo court? 
just read about this crazy verdict on Sheikh Hasina... I feel so bad for the families of those killed in the crackdown 
what's your take on this whole thing?
her supporters are totally justified in being outraged - this verdict feels like a huge miscarriage of justice