UN Lauds Bangladesh Court's Sheikh Hasina Verdict, Amnesty Calls Trial 'Neither Fair Nor Just'

Last Updated:November 18, 2025, 00:19 IST

The UN praised Bangladesh court's death sentence for Sheikh Hasina over 2024 protest crackdown, while Amnesty International called the trial unfair and criticised the verdict.

Calling the verdict "the biggest joke of 2025," Hasina, in the text-responses to News 18, alleged that the ICT has been weaponised by what she described as a "terrorist and extremist regime."(AFP)

The United Nations on Monday lauded Bangladesh court’s verdict on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her “crimes against humanity", calling it an “important moment for victims". Meanwhile, Amnesty International termed the trial as “neither fair nor just".

Hasina was on Monday awarded a death sentence, after she was convicted of crimes against humanity for her alleged role in ordering a deadly crackdown on student-led protests that toppled her government in August 2024.

The court, as it pronounced the verdict, said Sheikh Hasina incited attacks on students. According to the court, the 453-page judgment, divided into six parts, lays out in detail how the tribunal, which it said is “at par with other international tribunals", reached its decision.

Judges took nearly 40 minutes to dictate and explain the verdict, including the legal basis for why an international-standard tribunal has the authority to issue the ruling.

The court held that there were “sufficient grounds for framing charges" against the accused.

Following the verdict, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said: “The handing down of verdicts today by the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the former Home Minister on charges of crimes against humanity is an important moment for victims of the grave violations committed during the suppression of protests last year."

While emphasising that the UN was against the imposition of death penalty, she said: “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. This is particularly vital when, as was the case here, the trials have been conducted in absentia and led to a capital punishment sentence."

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has pointed out that the death penalty given to Sheikh Hasina will not serve justice for victims of the 2024 massacre.

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said: “Those individually responsible for the egregious violations and allegations of crimes against humanity that took place during the student-led protests in July and August 2024 must be investigated and prosecuted in fair trials. However, this trial and sentence is neither fair nor just. Victims need justice and accountability, yet the death penalty simply compounds human rights violations. It’s the ultimate cruel, degrading and inhuman punishment and has no place in any justice process."

He said that over 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured between July and August 2024 and justice to the survivors and victims will only be served by “independent and impartial proceedings, which meet international human rights standards, are conducted".

Massive protests erupted in July 2024 against reinstatement of a 30% quota in government jobs for the children of freedom fighters, which the protesters felt favoured supporters of the ruling party.

“This trial has been conducted before a court that Amnesty International has long criticised for its lack of independence and history of unfair proceedings. Further, the unprecedented speed of this trial in absentia and verdict raises significant fair trial concerns for a case of this scale and complexity," she said."Although Sheikh Hasina was represented by a court-appointed lawyer, the time to prepare a defence was manifestly inadequate. Such unfair trial indicators are compounded by reports that defence cross-examination of evidence deemed to be contradictory was not allowed," she added.

News world UN Lauds Bangladesh Court's Sheikh Hasina Verdict, Amnesty Calls Trial 'Neither Fair Nor Just'

Read More