Bangladesh tribunal sentences 7 Awami League leaders to death

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced seven senior leaders of the former ruling Awami League party to death in absentia on Tuesday for crimes against humanity during the 2024 student-led uprising. The verdict, delivered by a three-member tribunal in Dhaka, marks the latest in a series of trials stemming from the protests that ultimately toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. The tribunal convicted the seven men of murder, inciting killings, and other charges related to the violent crackdown on the uprising. Those sentenced include former Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, and five other party and youth wing leaders. All seven were tried in absentia and represented by state-appointed defense lawyers. The court ordered the confiscation of half the assets of five of the convicted men, directing that the proceeds be distributed as compensation to the families of those killed or injured during the unrest. The United Nations has estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the 2024 protests.