Ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity

Bangladesh's interim govt urges India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, her aide

DHAKA — Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina was on Monday sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal for "crimes against humanity" over her government's brutal crackdown on student-led protests last year.

In its verdict that followed a months-long trial, the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) described the 78-year-old Awami League leader as the "mastermind and principal architect" of the violent repression that killed hundreds of protesters. It also handed the death sentence to former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on similar charges.

Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.

Hours after the verdict, Bangladesh's foreign ministry demanded that Hasina and former home minister Kamal be immediately handed over under an extradition treaty in view of their sentencing.

"We call on the Indian government to immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladeshi authorities," the foreign ministry said in a statement in Bengali.

"This is also a duty for India, as per the extradition treaty existing between the two countries," it said.

"It would be an extremely unfriendly act and a contempt for justice if any other country were to grant asylum to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity," the ministry said.

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In her reaction, Hasina said the judgement has been made by a "rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate."

"They are biased and politically motivated. In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh's last elected prime minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force," she said in a statement.

Hasina said 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."

The verdict comes months before parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from contesting the elections scheduled to be held in February.

Reading out the judgment before a heavily guarded courtroom in Dhaka, the ICT said the prosecution proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Hasina was behind the deadly crackdown on student-led protests in July-August last year.

Hasina was handed the death penalty for ordering the use of deadly force against unarmed protesters, making inflammatory statements and authorising operations that led to the killing of several students in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

In recent media interviews, Hasina described the ICT as a "kangaroo court" run by her opponents.

A UN rights office report had earlier estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the month-long agitation, known as the July Uprising.

There were some incidents of violence after the court delivered the verdict.

Security agencies used batons and fired tear gas to disperse protesters who tried to demolish the house of Hasina's father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka.

The ICT, originally set up to try hardened collaborators of Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War, was amended by the current administration to bring leaders of the past regime, including Hasina, under its jurisdiction.

Most Awami League leaders have either been arrested or have fled the country since the collapse of the Hasina regime.

By inciting violence through provocative statements and taking no punitive measures against the perpetrators who attacked protesting students, Hasina committed crimes against humanity, the ICT said.

She also ordered the use of helicopters and lethal weapons on protestors, it said.

Bangladesh's interim govt urges India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, her aide

Bangladesh on Monday urged India to immediately extradite deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, hours after a special tribunal sentenced them to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity".

"We urge the Indian government to immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladeshi authorities," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to the state-run BSS news agency.

It said the existing bilateral extradition agreement between Bangladesh and India marks the transfer of the two convicts as a "compulsory responsibility" for New Delhi.

The ministry also said that granting shelter to individuals convicted of crimes against humanity would be considered an "unfriendly act" and a disregard for justice.

The International Crimes Tribunal-Bangladesh (ICT-BD) on Monday sentenced Hasina and Kamal to death in absentia for "crimes against humanity" during last year's student uprising.

Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court. Kamal is also believed to be in India.

In December last year, Bangladesh sent India a note verbale, requesting Hasina's extradition. India confirmed receipt of the formal diplomatic note but did not comment further.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said his ministry will formally send a letter to New Delhi seeking the repatriation of the "fugitive convicts" Hasina and Kamal.

"We will officially communicate our position to India. Whether the letter goes tonight or tomorrow, it will certainly go,” he told reporters.

Responding to a question, he said Dhaka had earlier sent a request seeking Hasina's return but received no response. “Now the situation is different … the judicial process has been completed and they have been convicted,” he added.

Touhid said Bangladesh will place its request under the existing extradition treaty with India.

On what Dhaka would do if India refuses to hand over Sheikh Hasina, he replied, “We will address that situation when it arises.”

Separately, both Legal Adviser Asif Nazrul and Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said they want the repatriation of Hasina.

"If India continues to shelter this mass murderer, then India must understand that it is an act of hostility...," Nazrul was quoted as saying by the Bangla-language daily Prothom Alo.

Nazrul described the death sentence to Hasina as the "greatest event of establishing justice on the soil of Bangladesh."

"I am not surprised (by the verdict). Given the fresh, irrefutable and strong evidence of crimes against humanity committed by Hasina and her associates, they should be given the maximum punishment if tried in any court in the world," he said.

Former premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party criticised India for giving shelter to "fugitive" Hasina.

"India has given shelter to a fugitive criminal. But the country is giving her the chance to do sabotage against Bangladesh, and this is not a lawful behaviour from India. This is very unfortunate," BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.

Speaking at a press conference, the BNP leader said a country like India, which upholds democracy and has an independent judiciary, should not allow Hasina the space to engage in wrongful activities.

Right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami also urged India to extradite Hasina.

"If one claims to behave as a good neighbour, if one aspires to maintain friendly relations, this is their foremost responsibility," Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, referring to Hasina's extradition.

"We demand that she be returned to Bangladesh," he added.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam urged for speedy execution of the death sentence given to Hasina.

"Sheikh Hasina must be brought back to Bangladesh and the death sentence executed within a month,” he told reporters.

"This verdict will set an example not only for Bangladesh but also for tyrannical and fascist rulers around the world,” said Nahid.

Earlier, NCP Member-Secretary Akhter Hossain said the death sentence given to Hasina represents "appropriate justice".

He urged both the Bangladesh government to swiftly enforce the verdict and the Indian government to return her to Dhaka.

"We call upon the Government of India not to give refuge to Sheikh Hasina. She carried out genocide against the people of Bangladesh and committed crimes against humanity. India must hand her over to Bangladesh's justice system," he said in a video message.