Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia for her role in crimes against humanity during a deadly crackdown on student-led protests last year. The verdict, delivered by a three-judge bench of the country's international crimes tribunal, convicted Hasina of incitement, orders to kill, and failure to prevent atrocities as she oversaw the state-led crackdown on anti-government protesters.
The ruling described Hasina as having committed "crimes against humanity" by ordering the use of drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons against civilians. The UN human rights office welcomed the verdict but expressed regret at the imposition of the death penalty, which it opposes in all circumstances.
The trial took place in absentia since Hasina fled Bangladesh in August last year and has been living in exile in India under protection. The Indian government has ignored requests for her extradition to face trial.
In a statement after the ruling, Hasina claimed she had not been given a fair chance to defend herself and accused the tribunal of being "politically motivated". Her former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun had pleaded guilty and turned state witness against her in July.
The sentencing has brought relief and catharsis for families of those killed in the uprising, with one victim's father saying that the death sentence was an acceptable verdict for what was done to his son. Hasina is set to face the consequences of the ruling as Bangladesh prepares for its first election since she fell from power, which will take place in early February.
The Awami League party, led by Hasina, has vowed to cause mass unrest in response to her sentencing and most of its leaders are either in jail or hiding abroad. Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed said his mother would remain safe in Delhi after the verdict but was determined to fight back against the ruling.
The ruling described Hasina as having committed "crimes against humanity" by ordering the use of drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons against civilians. The UN human rights office welcomed the verdict but expressed regret at the imposition of the death penalty, which it opposes in all circumstances.
The trial took place in absentia since Hasina fled Bangladesh in August last year and has been living in exile in India under protection. The Indian government has ignored requests for her extradition to face trial.
In a statement after the ruling, Hasina claimed she had not been given a fair chance to defend herself and accused the tribunal of being "politically motivated". Her former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun had pleaded guilty and turned state witness against her in July.
The sentencing has brought relief and catharsis for families of those killed in the uprising, with one victim's father saying that the death sentence was an acceptable verdict for what was done to his son. Hasina is set to face the consequences of the ruling as Bangladesh prepares for its first election since she fell from power, which will take place in early February.
The Awami League party, led by Hasina, has vowed to cause mass unrest in response to her sentencing and most of its leaders are either in jail or hiding abroad. Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed said his mother would remain safe in Delhi after the verdict but was determined to fight back against the ruling.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King Jr 
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she's literally getting death penalty for ordering drones and helicopters on innocent people 
i feel so bad for her family and loved ones, they must be going through so much emotional trauma 
i'm glad that families of the victims are able to find some sense of relief from this verdict 
the fact that india is protecting her is really surprising too 
i mean, shouldn't they take her in and let her face the music? 
my heart goes out to all the families of those who lost loved ones during the crackdown, they deserve justice 
... it's been a long and difficult road for them, and I can only imagine how hard it must be to see justice finally being served 
... this verdict is a big step forward for Bangladesh, even if it doesn't mean much to Hasina right now 
The UN thinks the death penalty is a "regrettable measure" but come on, someone's gotta take responsibility for those crimes against humanity. I don't blame Hasina one bit for fleeing the country - she's probably scared of getting her head chopped off in absentia 
. And what's with the Indian government not wanting to extradite her? Are they trying to help the Awami League party rally behind their leader again? 
...
And what about due process and all that jazz? Has she even had a real chance to defend herself in court or not? 
It's all about controlling the narrative, making everyone think they're doing the right thing when in reality it's just more of the same old game. And what's with the UN welcoming the verdict? Sounds like someone's getting paid off, if you ask me 
The fact that India won't extradite her is suspicious too... is it because they're protecting a friend or something? 
especially when you think about what happened to those innocent students who lost their lives during the crackdown 
. it's like they say, justice has finally been served, but at what cost? 
. Bangladesh needs real change, not just arrests 
. Hasina's party is gonna cause chaos at polls in Feb, that's for sure 
. Trial by proxy is pretty weak 
. I can imagine how helpless it must've felt for Hasina to be sentenced in absentia after fleeing the country 
, that's super suspicious.
It's not like she was just sitting back and letting the protests happen without doing anything about it. The families of those who died deserve closure, I get it. 
This is gonna be a wild ride in Bangladeshi politics for sure!
. The fact that the UN human rights office is opposing the death penalty makes sense though - it's a pretty harsh punishment 
. But at the same time, I'm glad that some people are finally getting justice and closure for their loved ones 
. Fingers crossed that Bangladesh is able to move forward from all this drama and have a fair election