UK lawyers voice concern over fairness of Tulip Siddiq trial

A group of senior British lawyers has raised concerns about what they describe as a "contrived and unfair" trial in Bangladesh involving Tulip Siddiq, a UK Labour MP and former City minister, who faces accusations of improperly influencing a land allocation in Dhaka.

Siddiq, who resigned from the UK government in January, is being tried in absentia alongside dozens of others, including her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who received a death sentence last week. Prosecutors allege that Siddiq used her influence over Hasina to secure a plot of land in a Dhaka suburb for her mother. The prosecution is seeking a maximum life sentence, says The Guardian.

Siddiq denies the allegations, saying they are politically motivated. In the UK, Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister's independent adviser on ministerial interests, cleared her of wrongdoing earlier this year, although he said it was "regrettable" she was not more alert to potential reputational risks linked to her family ties and Treasury position. Siddiq stepped down from her Treasury role after the allegations became a distraction for the government.

In a letter to Abida Islam, Bangladesh's high commissioner in London, several prominent lawyers — including Robert Buckland KC, Dominic Grieve, Cherie Blair KC, Philippe Sands KC and Geoffrey Robertson KC — expressed "profound concern regarding the current criminal proceedings".

They said Siddiq had not been presented with the charges or evidence against her, calling the process "artificial and a contrived and unfair way of pursuing a prosecution".

The group also highlighted reports that a lawyer appointed by Siddiq in Bangladesh withdrew after claiming he had been placed under house arrest and that his daughter had been threatened. The lawyers said this "accords with reports of a pattern of interference and intimidation in the legal system since the interim government took office".

They pointed to public comments made by the anti-corruption commission leading the prosecution and by the interim government's chief adviser, Prof Muhammad Yunus, saying it was difficult to reconcile "widespread media engagement" by officials with the expectation of a fair and impartial trial.

The lawyers argued that trying Siddiq in absentia is inappropriate, noting that she is a UK national, an elected member of parliament and not a fugitive, and could be extradited if proper grounds existed. They said she currently has no opportunity to defend herself.

The letter urged Bangladeshi authorities to address the concerns to ensure the proceedings meet internationally recognized standards of fairness.