Dhaka, Dec 15: The prosecution of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has moved the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking enhancement of the sentences awarded to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, arguing that the death penalty is warranted for crimes against humanity committed during the July Mass Uprising.
Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim filed Criminal Appeal No. 96/2025 on eight grounds, challenging the life imprisonment imposed on one of the charges and urging the court to upgrade it to capital punishment. The appeal contends that under the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973, punishment must reflect the gravity of offences and that the scale and nature of the July uprising violence meet the threshold for the harshest penalty.
According to the prosecution, the crimes involved gross human rights violations and widespread attacks on unarmed civilians across the country. The appeal maintains that any sentence short of death would be legally inadequate given the severity of the offences, which resulted in more than 1,400 deaths and over 25,000 injuries, allegedly carried out on the orders or incitement of the accused.
The prosecution further argued that the convictions were rightly recorded under the doctrine of superior command responsibility, holding the accused accountable for acts committed by forces under their authority. It also noted that despite being aware of the verdict and the statutory appeal window, the accused remain absconding and have made statements aimed at obstructing the judicial process, leaving no scope for leniency.
On November 17, a three-member ICT bench convicted Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on multiple counts related to the July Mass Uprising, sentencing them to life imprisonment on one charge and death on another. The tribunal also ordered confiscation of their properties and directed the authorities to ensure compensation for the families of those killed and injured during the unrest.
Speaking to reporters after filing the appeal, Prosecutor Tamim said the prosecution had approached the Appellate Division within the prescribed 30-day period and expressed hope that the matter would be disposed of within 60 days, as provided by law. He reiterated that, considering the magnitude of the atrocities, the death penalty should be the sole punishment for such crimes.
