UN Opposes Death Sentence For Sheikh Hasina, Calls Bangladesh Court Verdict ‘Important Moment for Victims’

Besides calling the verdict against ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina an ‘important moment for the victims’ of last year’s violent crackdown, the United Nations has strongly opposed the death sentence handed down by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the UN acknowledges the significance of the tribunal’s ruling for those who suffered grave violations during the 2024 student uprising. However, she emphasised that the UN regrets the imposition of the death penalty, which it 'opposes in all circumstances’.

UN Flags Concerns Over Fair Trial Standards

In her statement, Shamdasani noted that the UN was not privy to the conduct of the trial but stressed the importance of global standards. 

“While we were not privy to the conduct of this trial, we have consistently advocated for all accountability proceedings - especially on charges of international crimes – to unquestionably meet international standards of due process and fair trial,” she said. Shamdasani also highlighted that the trials were held in absentia and resulted in a capital punishment sentence, making adherence to fair trial norms even more critical.

UN High Commissioner Calls for Calm, Justice and Reforms

She also spoke about High Commissioner Volker Turk's appeal for Bangladesh to move forward with ‘meaningful and transformative security sector reforms, to ensure that these violations and abuses are never repeated and our office stands ready to support the government and people of Bangladesh in these endeavours’.

“The UN High Commissioner called for calm, and for all to exercise restraint in these difficult circumstances," spokesperson Shamdasani added.

Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death: All You Need To Know 

The comments from the United Nations came after Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday convicted ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of multiple counts of crimes against humanity committed during the July-August 2024 student uprising and sentenced her to death.

The three-member Tribunal, headed by Justice Mohd Golam Mortuza Majumder, also pronounced judgment against her two aides, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. While Kamal was handed a death sentence, Al-Mamun was sent to five years in prison for their roles in the brutal crackdown.

While pronouncing the judgement, the court mentioned that Hasina, Kamal and Mamun ‘orchestrated and enabled atrocities across the country’ 

Last year's student uprising in Bangladesh saw hundreds killed. Bangladesh’s interim government estimated more than 800 deaths, while a UN report in February suggested the toll could be as high as 1,400.

Court Remarks While Convicting Sheikh Hasina 

• Incitement: “Accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity by her incitement order and failure to take preventive and punitive measures under Charge 1.”
• Order to Kill: Hasina ordered the use of drones, helicopters and lethal weapons on students. “Accused Sheikh Hasina committed one count of crimes against humanity by ordering the use of drones, helicopters and lethal weapons under Charge 2.”
• Failure to Prevent Atrocities: She failed to prevent or punish those committing atrocities, despite full command responsibility.

Charges Against Sheikh Hasina

1. Murder, attempted murder, torture, inhumane acts; abetment, conspiracy, complicity; failure to prevent Awami League cadres and law enforcement from attacking civilians.
2. Ordering use of lethal weapons, drones and helicopters; superior command responsibility; conspiracy and facilitation.
3. Murder of Abu Sayed, a Begum Rokeya University student, on July 16 — direct orders, abetment, conspiracy.
4. Murder of six unarmed protesters in Chankharpul on August 5.
5. Execution-style killing of five protesters, burning of bodies and attempted burning of a survivor.

Sheikh Hasina’s First Reaction After Death Sentencing

Minutes after the controversial judgement was declared, the former Bangladeshi premier issued a long statement and called the verdict ‘rigged, biased and politically motivated’. 

Hasina also accused the government led by Dr Mohammad Yunus of using ICT as a political weapon and highlighted the extremist elements within the interim administration of trying to 'eliminate Bangladesh’s last elected prime minister' and destroy the Awami League. 

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that the trials were designed not to uncover the truth about the July-August 2024 violence, but to ‘scapegoat the Awami League’ and divert attention from the interim government’s failures.

“Under his aegis, public services have fallen apart. Police have retreated from the country’s crime-ridden streets and judicial fairness has been subverted, with attacks on Awami League adherents going unpunished. Hindus and other religious minorities are assaulted, and women’s rights suppressed. Islamic extremists inside the administration, including figures from Hizb-ut-Tahrir, seek to undermine Bangladesh’s long tradition of secular government,” Sheikh Haisna wrote. 

Responding to the charges, the former PM said she was denied legal representation and no fair opportunity to defend herself.

“I mourn all of the deaths that occurred in July and August of last year, on both sides of the political divide. But neither I nor other political leaders ordered the killing of protestors,” she said.

Calling the verdict ‘a foregone conclusion’, she invited the interim government to present the case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague. 

“The interim government will not accept this challenge, because it knows that the ICC would acquit me. The interim government also fears that the ICC would scrutinise its own record of human rights breaches in office," Hasina added.

Read Her Full Statement Here - 'Rigged Judgment By An Unelected Government': Sheikh Hasina’s First Reaction After Death Sentencing | EXCLUSIVE