What international rights groups say about verdict against Hasina
Though international rights organisations criticised the trial, ICT Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the verdict sentencing ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death demonstrates Bangladesh's ability to conduct trials while maintaining international legal norms.
International rights groups have shown a varied range of reactions following the death penalty verdict against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina for committing crimes against humanity during the July Uprising.
While Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International questioned the fairness in the trial citing violations of human rights during the trial; International Crisis Group has said people will welcome the conviction of Sheikh Hasina, where there are few doubts about her responsibility for the atrocities committed against protesters in July-August 2024.
Meanwhile, the United Nations expressed regret over the imposition of death penalty.
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International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam in his immediate reaction to the verdict said the verdict sentencing ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death demonstrates Bangladesh's ability to conduct trials while maintaining international legal norms.
He welcomed the ruling, calling it a reaffirmation of the nation's commitment to establishing justice.
Bangladesh's key political parties have also welcomed the verdict and called for the rapid execution of the ruling after immediate extradition of the fugitive former leader.
So, why did the international rights organisations oppose the verdict? Here's what they say:
Hasina trial failed to meet basic international standards: HRW
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised serious concerns over whether the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh met international fair trial standards in the conviction of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
HRW said the prosecution did not meet international fair trial standards, including the right to present a full defense, question witnesses, and choose one's own lawyer, reads a press release.
Yesterday (17 November), the tribunal found both leaders guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the violent suppression of the 2024 student-led protests and sentenced them to death. Both were prosecuted in absentia and not represented by counsel of their choosing.
A third accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who testified for the prosecution, received five years in prison.
The rights group highlighted that trials in absentia undermine the right to a fair hearing as laid out in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to appear in person, be represented by counsel, bring evidence, and examine witnesses.
HRW said concerns were "exacerbated by the death sentences." The organisation opposes the death penalty in all cases, calling it "inherently cruel."
UN regrets death penalty
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has said the International Crimes Tribunal's verdicts against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal mark an "important moment" for victims of last year's deadly protest crackdown – but expressed regret over the imposition of death penalty.
In a statement issued yesterday (17 November), the OHCHR said the convictions for crimes against humanity represent a significant step for victims of the "grave violations" committed during the suppression of the July 2024 protests.
The UN office noted that since releasing its February 2025 fact-finding report, it has repeatedly called for accountability for all perpetrators, including those in command roles. It also urged that victims be given access to effective remedies and reparations.
"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," the statement reads.
"We also regret the imposition of the death penalty, which we oppose in all circumstances," it added.
Justice for victims of 2024 massacre not served by death sentence against Hasina: Amnesty
Justice for the victims of massacre during the 2024 July Uprising has not been served by International Crimes Tribunal's death sentence against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, human rights organisation Amnesty International said yesterday (17 November)
"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," Amnesty International's Secretary General Agnès Callamard said in a statement.
"This was not a fair trial. The victims of July 2024 deserve far better. Bangladesh needs a justice process that is scrupulously fair and fully impartial beyond all suspicion of bias and does not resort to order further human rights violations through the death penalty. Only then can genuine and meaningful truth, justice and reparations be delivered."
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution, reads the statement.
Hasina's political comeback in Bangladesh appears slim: International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group today (17 November) said the prospect of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina "mounting a political comeback in Bangladesh now appears very slim. The political repercussions of this verdict are significant."
"The process has not been without critics. In absentia trials are often a source of contention, and in this case, the speed with which the hearings were conducted and the apparent lack of resources for the defence also raise questions of fairness, the group said in a statement.
"These criticisms reflect longstanding challenges within Bangladesh's criminal justice system, which the country's interim government has not done enough to address since it came to office in August 2024. But they should not be used to downplay or deflect from Sheikh Hasina's actions, or indeed those of the Awami League leadership or parts of the security forces," reads the statement.
But as long as she refuses to give up control of the Awami League, the party is unlikely to be allowed back into the political arena, said Thomas Kean, senior consultant and Crisis Group's expert on Bangladesh.
A spate of recent bombings and the Awami League's call for a nationwide "lockdown" have put the country on edge as it nears much-anticipated national elections scheduled for February 2026, said the Crisis Group expert.
"The Awami League should desist from acts of violence, and the interim government must avoid heavy-handed crackdowns against party supporters," Kean said.
He said the conviction of Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity will be widely welcomed in Bangladesh, where there are few doubts about her responsibility for the atrocities committed against protesters in July-August 2024.
