Bangladesh Convicts Ex-Leader Hasina of Crimes Against Humanity, Sentences Her to Death
A Bangladeshi court has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death, finding her guilty of crimes against humanity. The charges enumerate murder, rape, torture, and arson, directly linked to the government’s brutal suppression of a popular uprising in 2024. The judicial process, following the ousting of Hasina's Awami League government in August 2024, has seen more than 2,000 individuals arrested, with at least 200 already convicted.
Hasina, aged 78, has declared her intention to return to Bangladesh to challenge the verdict, a decision that carries substantial personal risk given the capital punishment sentence. Her legal team has consistently labelled the proceedings a politically motivated sham, designed to eliminate her from public life.
The 2024 uprising saw widespread protests against Hasina's government, initiated by students demanding an end to a quota system in government jobs and ultimately expanding into a broader movement for political reform. The ensuing state crackdown resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, primarily among protesters, with security forces accused of employing excessive and lethal force. Hasina’s administration had previously been criticised by international human rights organisations for its increasingly authoritarian tendencies and suppression of dissent.
