Hasina sentenced to death for crimes against humanity

Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for murders and other crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising.

This is the first time in the country’s history that a former prime minister has been given a death sentence.

It is also the first verdict delivered in any case related to the killings during the July uprising.

A three-member bench of International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder, delivered the death sentence yesterday, Monday (17 November).

The other two members of the tribunal are Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Along with Sheikh Hasina, the tribunal also sentenced Asaduzzaman Khan, former home minister and another accused in the case, to death.

Meanwhile, the approver (state witness), former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, was sentenced to five years in prison.

The pronouncement of the verdict began shortly after 12:30pm and concluded around 3:00pm. The entire process of announcing the 453-page verdict was broadcast live.

Reading out the portion of the verdict ordering Sheikh Hasina’s death sentence, Tribunal Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder said that according to a report by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1,400 people were killed during the July movement through the use of lethal weapons.

The tribunal watched videos of their deaths inside the courtroom. They saw the protesters being injured. Victims testified before the tribunal. Many had lost parts of their bodies—skulls, eyes, noses, hands, or legs. “No human being can remain unaffected after seeing such scenes. This brutality must be stopped at any cost. Justice must not fail,” he said.

In the verdict, Justice Mozumder said Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of three offences under Charge-1: incitement, issuing orders to kill, and failing to prevent the crimes or act against the perpetrators. For these offences, she was sentenced to imprisonment until natural death.

Regarding Charge-2, Justice Mozumder stated that by deploying drones and helicopters and ordering the use of lethal weapons against protesters, Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity. She committed crimes against humanity by ordering the killing of six people in Chankharpul in the capital. She committed crimes against humanity by ordering the killing of six others in Ashulia. For these three offences, she was sentenced to death.

At that moment, families of the July martyrs, as well as the injured and other July movement participants present in the courtroom, applauded and expressed their emotions. Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman then stood at the tribunal dais and requested that celebrations be held outside in order to maintain decorum inside the courtroom.

In delivering the sentence against former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder said that Asaduzzaman committed four offences: inciting the killing of six people in Chankharpul in the capital and failing to take necessary measures to prevent the crime; and inciting the killing of six people in Ashulia and failing to take necessary measures to prevent that crime as well. For committing these four crimes against humanity, Asaduzzaman is sentenced to death.

Regarding the approver (state witness), former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the verdict states that he disclosed the full truth about the events. Justice Mozumder said in the verdict that former IGP Mamun, by revealing the complete truth about the events within his knowledge, contributed to the trial. Nevertheless, he was involved in the crimes committed over the 36 days of the July movement. Considering his role in disclosing the truth as well as the gravity of the offences, he is sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder stated in the verdict that the assets of Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman are ordered to be confiscated. The government has been directed to provide substantial compensation to the families of the July martyrs. Measures must also be taken to provide adequate compensation to those injured during the July movement, based on the severity of their injuries. A copy of the verdict will be provided to the District Magistrate of Dhaka to take necessary action in these matters. A copy must also be given to former IGP Mamun. Convicted fugitives will not receive a copy of the verdict at this moment.

Extensive security measures were taken in and around the International Crimes Tribunal from Monday morning as the verdict was to be delivered against the three accused, including Sheikh Hasina. A large number of personnel from the army, police, RAB, APBn, and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed. People were cleared from the area around Suhrawardy Udyan as well.

After multiple layers of security screening, members of the July martyrs’ families, the injured, July movement participants, journalists, lawyers, and others were allowed to enter the courtroom.

The tribunal’s prosecution had announced on Sunday night that the tribunal would sit at 11:00am on Monday for the verdict. Around 10:50am Monday, people began entering the tribunal premises. Members of the July martyrs’ families, the injured, and July movement participants were allowed to enter first. Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman entered the tribunal at 10:52am. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam arrived at 11:00am.

Journalists were allowed to enter from 11:00am. At 11:05am, the courtroom was seen to be full. Along with the Attorney General and the Chief Prosecutor, Additional Attorneys General Mohammad Arshadur Rauf, Anik R Haque and Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan; Deputy Director of the Investigation Agency and case investigator Md Alamgir; state-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain; July martyr Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho’s father Mostafizur Rahman and brother Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho; DUCSU VP Abu Abu Shadik Kayem; GS SM Farhad; Chhatra Dal leaders Abidul Islam Khan and Sheikh Tanvir Bari Hamim; spokesperson of Inqilab Manch Sharif Osman Hadi; and Ali Ahsan Junayed, convener of Up Bangladesh, were among those present in the tribunal.

How the verdict announcement began

At 12:28pm, the judges of Tribunal-1 entered the courtroom. At that point, Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam sought permission for the proceedings to be broadcast live, and the tribunal granted the request.

Three cases were listed on the tribunal’s docket on Monday. After the hearings of two of them were completed, state witness and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was produced before the tribunal. The verdict in this case was then taken up for announcement. At the outset, Tribunal Chairman Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder thanked everyone involved—the Attorney General, prosecution, investigation agency, tribunal staff, journalists, law enforcement personnel, members of July martyrs’ families, the injured of the July movement, July movement activists, and defence lawyers.

Justice Golam Mortuza said they had worked with little sleep to prepare the verdict. He said the verdict had been divided into six sections. He then requested Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury, a member of Tribunal-1, to read out the first section.

At the beginning of the verdict reading, Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury set out the tribunal’s jurisdiction. He explained what constitutes crimes against humanity, including acts such as murder and enforced disappearance. He mentioned that such crimes must be committed on a widespread or systematic scale. He also explained who can be held responsible for such crimes. Additionally, he outlined the requirements of the Rome Statute for an act to qualify as a crime against humanity.

Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury then read out the five charges brought in this case. Regarding the first charge, he said that on 14 July 2024, Sheikh Hasina made an inciting statement at a press conference, saying: “If the grandchildren of freedom fighters cannot get government jobs, why should the grandchildren of collaborators (Razakars) get them?” He also referred to an audio conversation between Sheikh Hasina and former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal, in which she spoke about hanging the protesters. In addition, the general secretary of the Awami League, Obaidul Quader, had said that the student wing alone was enough to suppress the movement.

After the charges were presented, Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud began reading the verdict. He stated that the three separate audio recordings of conversations between Sheikh Hasina and Jasad president Hasanul Haq Inu, former Dhaka University VC ASM Maksud Kamal, and Dhaka South City Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh were authentic and not generated by artificial intelligence (AI). He also reviewed the testimonies of witnesses, the arguments presented by the prosecution, and the statements made by defence lawyers.

Justice Shafiul Alam said the cruelty during the July uprising had been extreme. Injured individuals were not even allowed to receive medical treatment. Not only that, physicians were transferred simply because they treated injured protesters.

The tribunal stated in the verdict that despite so many killings, no remorse was seen among the convicts, including Sheikh Hasina.

“The July Revolution martyrs have received justice, and the state has received justice,” Attorney General Asaduzzaman said while speaking to the media in the ICT premises after the verdict. He said, “In fulfilment of our responsibility toward the martyrs, the country, its people, democracy, the constitution, the rule of law and future generations, this is a landmark verdict. This verdict will bring peace. This verdict is a message for the future. This verdict will remain a milestone for justice and the rule of law in Bangladesh.”
He added that the sentence would take effect from the day Sheikh Hasina is arrested.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said Bangladesh had successfully conducted the trial, adding: “Bangladesh has shown that it is capable of trying complex crimes like crimes against humanity while maintaining all international norms and standards — and Bangladesh has successfully done so.”

Tajul Islam also commented that the evidence presented in this court would meet the standards of any court in the world. “If this evidence were presented in any court anywhere, every accused who received punishment today would be given the same punishment,” he said.

'I am hurt by this verdict': State-appointed lawyer

State-appointed lawyer Amir Hossain said that the tribunal took many of his arguments into account. However, the tribunal believed that the prosecution’s arguments were stronger than his. Based on this assessment, the tribunal delivered the verdict. Amir Hossain said, “I am hurt by this verdict.”

This verdict concerns one of four cases against Sheikh Hasina at the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity.

In May 2013, 21 people, including Sheikh Hasina, were accused in a case related to killings and abuses of Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and activists in Shapla Chattar, Motijheel, and other areas of the country. The deadline for submitting the investigation report in this case has been extended to 12 January.

In two other cases concerning crimes against humanity committed through enforced disappearances during the Awami League’s one-and-a-half decades in power, 28 people, including Sheikh Hasina, have been accused. Among them are 23 former and current military officers. The next hearing for these two cases is scheduled for 23 November.

On 2 July, Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment in a contempt of court case by International Crimes Tribunal-1. Proceedings for this case began in April of this year.

Earlier this year, an audio recording of Sheikh Hasina stating, “I have been given a licence to kill 226 people,” circulated online. The prosecution filed a contempt of court case, arguing that her statement attempted to obstruct the judicial process. Sheikh Hasina was sentenced in that case by the tribunal.