From exile, Hasina lashes out at ICT for denying her ‘a fair chance to defend’

She accuses the ICT judges and lawyers of showing "sympathy for the current administration"

Responding fiercely after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising, Sheikh Hasina has bashed the court for not giving her and her party, the Awami League, a “fair chance to defend themselves”.

The verdict revealed “the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures in an unelected government”, she was quoted as saying by Indian broadcaster NDTV.

She denied all charges.

She also accused the ICT and its members of bias, saying its judges and lawyers had "publicly expressed sympathy for the current administration".

"For the record, I wholly deny the accusations that have been made against me in the ICT. I mourn all of the deaths that occurred in July and August of last year, on both sides of the political divide. But neither I nor other political leaders ordered the killing of protesters," Sheikh Hasina said.

"... I was given no fair chance to defend myself in court, nor even to have lawyers of my own choice represent me in absentia. Despite its name, there is nothing 'international' about the ICT... Nor is it impartial," she said in a statement issued minutes after the verdict, tearing into "rigged" proceedings.

Hasina pointed to three incontrovertible facts:

Any senior judges, or even senior advocates, who previously expressed sympathy have been removed or intimidated into silence,

ICT has exclusively prosecuted members of the Awami League

It has done nothing to prosecute or even investigate perpetrators (of violence) from other parties of documented violence against religious minorities and others.

'BANGLADESHIS WON’T BE FOOLED’

"Millions of Bangladeshis toiling under the chaotic, violent, and socially-regressive administration of Dr Mohammad Yunus (the Nobel Peace laureate who heads the interim government) will not be fooled..."

"They can see the trials conducted by this so-called ICT were never intended to achieve justice..." she said.

"Rather, their purpose was to scapegoat the Awami League (by not prosecuting individuals from other political parties or those currently in power) and distract the world from the failings of Dr Yunus."

"All of this is established fact and verified by international media, NGOs, and non-partisan bodies such as the IMF. I wish to add... not a single citizen of Bangladesh has cast a vote for him (Yunus)..."

Hasina declared herself unafraid to face her accusers "in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly". "That is why," she said, "I have repeatedly challenged the interim government to bring these charges before the International Criminal Court in The Hague."