DHAKA, July 30 (V7N) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concern over the functioning of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), saying the court is falling short of international legal standards and warning that procedural weaknesses could undermine justice and the rule of law.
In a report released on Wednesday, the New York-based rights organisation said accountability for serious crimes committed during the July–August 2024 student-led uprising is essential, but stressed that prosecutions must fully comply with internationally recognised fair trial standards.
According to HRW, prosecutors on July 27 submitted charges against 41 people, including politicians from the former Awami League government led by ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, members of the security forces, and journalists. The cases relate to allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide stemming from the security crackdown during the 2024 protests, in which more than 800 people were reportedly killed.
Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW’s Deputy Asia Director, said those responsible for serious abuses under the previous government should be held accountable, but added that several ongoing cases appear to fall short of international standards for fair criminal proceedings.
HRW urged the government to strengthen the criminal justice system by ensuring impartial investigations and preventing politically motivated prosecutions.
After reviewing more than a dozen tribunal cases, the organisation raised concerns about prolonged pretrial detention without adequate written justification and questioned whether prosecutors had met the required evidentiary threshold in some cases.
The report also highlighted concerns over the reliability of witness statements, alleging that investigators recorded testimonies containing identical or duplicated passages. HRW said such similarities could raise questions about the credibility of the evidence presented before the tribunal.
The organisation also referred to the cases involving journalists Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa, who were arrested in May and later charged with crimes against humanity and genocide. HRW argued that the charges and the lack of a written explanation for their detention raise concerns regarding Bangladesh’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The report further stated that defence lawyers have faced restrictions in cross-examining witnesses and referred to allegations that a prosecutor sought a Tk 1 crore bribe in connection with a bail application in a separate case. Although the prosecutor later resigned, HRW noted that judicial proceedings are scheduled to continue.
According to HRW, the tribunal has so far concluded six cases since the change of government. A total of 62 people have been convicted of crimes against humanity, including 42 who were tried in absentia, among them former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Sixteen of those convicted have received death sentences.
HRW called on the authorities to ensure that all proceedings before the tribunal are conducted in accordance with international legal standards to strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
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