Will Hasina Catch A Breather? Bangladesh Lawyers Move To Scrap Charges In War Crimes Case
The defence lawyers of Bangladesh's convicted ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday sought to have the charges against her dismissed in her crimes against humanity trial.
State-appointed defence lawyer Md Amir Hossain told reporters the allegations appeared 'false, fabricated and politically motivated". He added that he had not been able to speak to Hasina directly.
According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year when Hasina's government ordered a crackdown on protesters in a failed attempt to retain power.
Hasina, 77, fled to India following a student-led uprising in August 2024 and has ignored orders to return to Dhaka, where her trial in absentia began on June 1.
Prosecutors say Hasina held overall command responsibility for the violence.
She faces five charges, including failure to prevent mass murder, which under Bangladeshi law amount to crimes against humanity.
The trial is due to resume on July 10.
'She will serve the sentence the day she arrives in Bangladesh or surrenders to the court," chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said after the verdict.
The contempt case centred on comments Hasina reportedly made after her ousting, which prosecutors claim intimidated witnesses in ongoing hearings.
'The prosecution team believes her comment created an aura of fear among those who filed the cases and among the witnesses," Islam added.
Most leaders of the Awami League, ministers, and several officials from the former regime have been arrested or remain fugitives as the interim government launched trials over the brutal crackdown that quelled last year's uprising. This crackdown led to the fall of the nearly 16-year Awami League rule on 5 August and forced Hasina to flee to India.
(With inputs from agencies)
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