Sheikh Hasina Death Sentence: International Council Of Jurists To Move UN Against Conviction | World News

NEW DELHI: The International Council of Jurists (ICJ) will appeal to the UN Human Rights Committee seeking urgent intervention to protect former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s right to life and fair trial, amid widespread global concerns over the death sentence imposed on her by the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal.

ICJ President Adish C. Aggarwala issued a strong statement condemning the decision and saying the trial was deeply flawed, opaque and inconsistent with international human rights standards. The ICJ confirmed that it will soon file an urgent appeal to the UN body seeking protection of Hasina’s fundamental rights.

Headquartered in London with offices in New Delhi, the International Council of Jurists is an independent global legal body dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring justice around the world, and is distinctly distinct from both the International Court of Justice and the International Commission of Jurists.

The organization emphasized that Sheikh Hasina has strong legal grounds to resist any extradition move, given rising questions about justice, transparency and political neutrality. According to Aggarwala, multiple reports indicate that Hasina was denied adequate legal representation, was not given a meaningful opportunity to defend herself, and was subjected to a process marred by speed, secrecy and serious procedural irregularities. He said these flaws undermined the legitimacy of the decision and created the perception of a politically motivated outcome.

“The death penalty must be based on transparent trials and clear evidence,” Aggarwala said. “But basic elements of justice were glaringly missing here. The entire process appears politically motivated and is incompatible with Bangladesh’s obligations under international human rights law.”

Aggarwala, who serves as Vice-President of the Bar Council of India and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, emphasized that the right to a fair trial is not only a constitutional guarantee but also a universal human right protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bangladesh is a party.

Addressing reports about the possibility of Hasina being extradited from India, Hasina warned that international law prohibits extradition to a country where the accused faces an unfair trial or is in danger of persecution, torture or the death penalty without due process. “When a fundamentally flawed process results in the death penalty, extradition will subject the accused to irreversible injustice,” he said, noting that such a step would violate both Indian jurisprudence and international extradition norms.

He also emphasized that India, as a country committed to the rule of law and human rights, cannot legally and morally hand over Sheikh Hasina under the current circumstances. Aggarwala called on the international community to closely follow the developments in Bangladesh and warned that the courts should not become a tool of political retaliation. He said due process, judicial independence and constitutional protection are essential for any functioning democracy.

He also highlighted that several former Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (Justice Md. Ruhul Amin, Justice ABM Khairul Haque, Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim, Justice Md. Muzammel Hossain and Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha) had previously served as Vice-Presidents of the ICJ. Reiterating Hasina’s legal rights, Dr. Aggarwala stated that he could oppose any extradition effort, citing Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and a fair trial. Indian courts, including the Supreme Court, have consistently held that no person facing unfair trials, political persecution, torture or death penalty can be extradited or deported without adequate safeguards, as confirmed in Kishore Singh v. State of Rajasthan.