ICT orders to confiscate the properties: Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman get death in July mass killing case

ICT orders to confiscate the properties

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death in the much-anticipated case over crimes against humanity involving the last year’s July Mass Uprising.

A three-member bench of the ICT-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza, pronounced the judgement on Monday in presence of co-accused former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

Hasina and Asaduzzaman are fugitive, while Mamun, a state witness, is under police custody.

The tribunal also ordered to confiscate the properties of Hasina and Asaduzzaman in favour of the state.

This is the first judgement in the July uprising case.

According to the tribunal judgement, Sheikh Hasina was sentenced in two charges, while Asaduzzaman was sentenced in one charge.

As Mamun is the approver, he awarded five-year jail sentences.

The 453-page verdict consists of six parts, said one of the judges of the panel while stating the preamble of the verdict. He also said, there is no scope under the law to raise a question over the jurisdiction of the ICT.

On June 1, the prosecution formally filed charges against Sheikh Hasina and the two accused. Those are:

1. Inciting the crimes through provocative speech:

Following Sheikh Hasina’s speech at a press briefing on July 14, 2024, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and other senior officials of the then government abetted, assisted and were complicit in launching a severe and coordinated attack on unarmed student protesters.

2. Ordering the extermination of protesters using lethal weapons:

Sheikh Hasina is accused of ordering the extermination of student demonstrators through the use of helicopters, drones and lethal weapons. The then home minister and the then IGP facilitated and implemented this directive by issuing instructions to law enforcement personnel under their command.

3. Killing of BRUR student Abu Sayed:

This charge concerns the July 16, 2024 killing of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayed, who was shot multiple times at close range in the chest.

4. Chankharpul killings:

The shooting and killing of six unarmed protesters in Dhaka’s Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024, has been brought as a separate count of crimes against humanity.

5. Ashulia mass killing:

The prosecution also cited the shooting of six student protesters in Ashulia on August 5, 2024 – five of whom were later burned after death, while the sixth was allegedly set on fire while still alive.

The Awami League government fell on August 5, 2024, amid the uprising of the students and mass people.

Arguments in the case began on October 12 and concluded on October 23.

Relatives of victims, including the father of martyr Abu Sayeed, testified in the case, along with key witnesses including Nahid Islam, Convener of National Citizen Party (NCP) and Amar Desh editor Dr Mahmudur Rahman.

In total, 54 witnesses testified during the trial.