Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina Sentenced to Death
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, describing her as the “mastermind and principal architect” behind the crackdown on protesters that claimed around 1,400 lives.
The 78-year-old, who fled to India, was tried and sentenced in absentia. Her Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, was also handed a death sentence for his involvement in the violent suppression.
Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the former police chief, received a five-year prison term, with the court citing his cooperation in providing “material evidence to the tribunal” that helped reach a fair judgment.
Sheikh Hasina, who governed Bangladesh for 20 years, was ousted last year following a violent youth-led revolution.
The United Nations reported that security forces killed approximately 1,400 people during the protests.
“The repression of mass protests in Bangladesh last year that toppled longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left as many as 1,400 people dead in just 46 days – the vast majority shot by security forces,” said UN human rights chief Volker Türk.
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