Over 100 journalists across globe call Sheikh Hasina verdict 'biased', 'non-transparent'

Dhaka, Nov 18 (IANS) Hundreds of journalists worldwide have voiced serious concerns over the verdict against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, warning that the "biased and non-transparent" judicial process of the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) poses a serious threat to the rule of law in the South Asian nation. 

The statement came after the ICT on Monday pronounced a death sentence for the former Prime Minister after finding her guilty on the charges of "crimes against humanity" related to the demonstrations in July 2024.

The ICT also convicted two of Hasina's top aides, sentencing former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned state witness, to five years' imprisonment.

"We, 102 journalists working across various media outlets at home and abroad, express our profound concern regarding the ongoing judicial proceedings and today's verdict delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh," read a joint statement issued by journalists, which was posted by the Awami League on its social media platform.

"In recent weeks, the environment surrounding the ICT has raised grave questions about the independence of the judiciary. Statements from different actors, inconsistencies in judicial proceedings, lack of transparency, and clear indications of political influence have collectively undermined public confidence in the neutrality of the trial. When the judiciary is unable to function independently, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law come under severe threat," the statement added.

The signatories called for the immediate annulment of this verdict and the recommencement of all judicial proceedings in a fully transparent and impartial manner.

"Whether the accused is a political leader or an ordinary citizen, justice must be administered transparently, impartially, and without coercion. Due process and neutrality are fundamental prerequisites of any fair trial -- elements that were gravely absent in this case," the group of journalists emphasised.

Meanwhile, around 1001 teachers of public universities in Bangladesh rejected the ICT verdict against Hasina, calling it "fabricated" and based on a "false and farcical" case.

"The International Crimes Tribunal has now taken the form of a kangaroo court through its dictatorial, biased, and anti-justice activities, including false witness testimony. The crores of people in this country, inspired by the ideals of Bangabandhu, independence, and the spirit of the liberation war, have rejected such a hateful, conspiratorial, and predetermined verdict against Sheikh Hasina, the architect of a modern and prosperous Bangladesh," read a statement issued by the teachers.

"We, the progressive teachers' community, who believe in the spirit of independence and the liberation war, express solidarity with the general public of Bangladesh and reject the farcical verdict of the Kangaroo Court with hatred," the statement added.

--IANS

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