The BRICS TimesFormer Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also received the death sentence alongside Sheikh Hasina.
China’s Reaction to the Verdict
China called the death sentence for deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina an “internal affair”. A tribunal court gave the sentence in a ‘crimes against humanity’ case. China refused to offer any additional comment on the verdict. This reaction came during a Beijing media briefing. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed this. “It is Bangladesh’s internal affair,” PTI news agency quoted Mao Ning as saying.
Hopes for Bangladesh
Mao Ning also shared China’s sincere wishes. China hopes that “Bangladesh will achieve solidarity, stability, and development”. She further noted China’s commitment. China favors a policy of good neighborliness and friendship. This friendship is towards all people of Bangladesh, PTI reported.
Details of Sheikh Hasina’s Death Sentence
A Bangladeshi tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death on Monday. The court convicted her for “crimes against humanity”. These charges stem from the 2024 student-led protests crackdown. She was tried in abstention, or while absent. This is because she fled to India after her ouster. She has been living there since that time.
Co-Accused Sentences
Sheikh Hasina’s co-accused faced their own sentences. Bangladesh’s former home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, also received the death sentence. However, former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun got a softer penalty. He received five years in prison. He cooperated with the investigation. This lenient sentence followed his guilty plea in July. He was also the sole accused in the courtroom for the verdict announcement. UN rights reports say about 1,400 people were killed. These deaths happened between July 15 and August 15 last year. They occurred during the student-led uprising against Hasina’s government.
UN’s View on the Death Penalty
The United Nations commented after Sheikh Hasina’s sentencing. It called the conviction an “important moment” for victims of the 2024 Bangladesh violence. Yet, the UN said the death penalty imposition was regrettable. UN chief’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric spoke at a Monday press briefing. He said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres “fully” supports the stance of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. That stance is, “we stand against the use of the death penalty in all circumstances”.
