Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on student-led protests which led to her ousting.
Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest last year.
Hasina was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.
Prosecutors accused her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the trial biased and politically motivated.
The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Families of those killed and injured had called for tough penalties.
Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of nullifying [her party] the Awami League as a political force and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.
I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly, she stated.
The city of Dhaka was under tightened security ahead of the verdict, as critics of Hasina staged rallies celebrating the decision. The capital has witnessed increased unrest, marked by bomb explosions and violence in the days leading to the verdict.
The protests, initiated to abolish government job quotas, evolved into a broader anti-government movement. UN human rights investigators reported that the approximately 1,400 deaths during the protests could amount to crimes against humanity, citing brutality from security forces.
As Bangladesh navigates its political future, the trial's outcome poses a significant diplomatic challenge, particularly concerning India's position on Hasina's requested extradition. An interim government is set to oversee elections slated for February 2026 amid heightened tensions and calls for accountability.
