Moments after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received a death sentence, she immediately condemned the ruling. She called the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) verdict “biased and politically motivated.” Furthermore, Hasina accused the interim government of trying to “nullify [her party], the Awami League, as a political force.”

In her five-page statement, she repeatedly described the trial as “a farce” and denied all charges. “I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly,” she said. She even challenged the interim government to take the case to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Currently living in exile in India, Hasina assured her supporters that she will continue to fight. She also emphasized her pride in her government’s achievements, saying she is “very proud of [her] government’s record on human rights and development.”

ICT Sentences Hasina and Former Officials

On Monday, the ICT sentenced Hasina to death. The court found her guilty of crimes against humanity. Specifically, she was convicted on three charges: inciting violence, ordering killings, and failing to act during the violent July protests.

In addition, the tribunal sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death. Meanwhile, former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who later became an approver, received a lighter sentence of five years in prison.

Convicts Can Appeal

The convicts now have 30 days to appeal to the Bangladesh Supreme Court. However, they must return to Bangladesh and surrender to the authorities to file their appeal. Once submitted, the Supreme Court will have 60 days to either uphold or overturn the ICT’s ruling.

Court Orders Compensation for Victims

Moreover, the tribunal ordered the government to compensate victims of the July protests. “The government is directed to pay a considerable amount of compensation to the protesters concerned in this case who have been killed in the July movement 2024 and also to take measures to pay adequate compensation to the wounded protesters, in consideration of the gravity of their injury and loss,” the court ruled.