Politics, rather than law, continues to dictate proceedings at #Bangladesh’s controversial Int’l Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The latest example is the tribunal’s decision to issue warrants against #journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu, along with politician Dipu Moni, over the so-called 2013 Shapla Chattar killings. According to journalist @TheDavidBergman, the issuance of these warrants is deeply “concerning” because the allegations on which they are based lack any credible foundation in int’l criminal law. Bergman argues that the ICT’s actions rely on two legal theories that are unsupported by established int’l criminal law jurisprudence. First, Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa appear to have been implicated for their critical #media coverage of the events of 5–6 May 2013. However, journalists cannot be held criminally liable simply for broadcasting, reporting on, or critically discussing speeches delivered by #HefazatEIslam. Reporting on, or even strongly criticising, Hefazat’s controversial thirteen demands was a legitimate exercise of journalism, regardless of whether some considered the coverage biased or politically motivated. Crucially, there is no evidence that broadcasts aired on Ekattor TV incited violence or encouraged the use of force against protesters. Second, Dipu Moni appears to be implicated for her role as Foreign Minister in briefing diplomats and int’l media regarding the events of 5–6 May 2013. However, attempts by politicians or journalists to deny, minimise, or shape public perceptions about violent events after they occurred cannot amount to participation in crimes against humanity. Int’l criminal law has never treated post-event commentary, alleged downplaying of casualties, or efforts to influence public opinion as constituting crimes against humanity in themselves. Analysis: x.com/thedavidbergman/status… While Bergman concedes that the events of 5–6 May 2013 “may well” have amounted to crimes against humanity, even the claims advanced by the ICT’s own Chief Prosecutor appear highly questionable. The Chief Prosecutor recently claimed that a total of 58 people were killed over two days across three cities, casting doubts on the “widespread” and “systematic” elements of crimes against humanity. Yet even this assertion has been challenged from the outset, particularly given that multiple int’l journalists were present in #Dhaka during the events of 5–6 May 2013. Notably, a @BBC journalist who was present during the polic operation at Shapla Chattar on the night of 5 May 2013 has repeatedly claimed that not a single person was killed during the operation itself. This sharply contradicts many of the later “narratives” that have since emerged regarding the scale and nature of the alleged killings. See: dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/… english.bd-voice.com/nationa… The only reasonable conclusion to draw from the above discussion, therefore, is that all major decisions at the ICT, such as warrant issuance and the filing of charges, are increasingly being driven by political considerations rather than credible legal principles. Nor is this the first indication that politics has influenced proceedings at the ICT. Earlier, the decision to charge former #AwamiLeague MP Fazle Karim Chowdhury over incidents in Chattogram during the 2024 protests, despite an apparent lack of credible #evidence, allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, and reports of external pressure, similarly raised serious concerns about the politicisation of the tribunal’s processes. See: x.com/thedavidbergman/status… … #BangladeshCrisis @meeganguly @PearsonElaine @job71org @ESandersFCDO @AgnesCallamard @amnestysasia @hrw @BonaveroIHR @IBAHRI @FortifyRights @forum_asia @HRF @volker_turk @UNHumanRights @SRjudgeslawyers @fidh_en @StateDRL @UN_HRC @justiceinfonet @askbd_org @Kennedy_HRC @DoughtyStIntl @kingsleynapley

Custodial deaths of political prisoners continue unabated in #Bangladesh, raising serious concerns about human rights protection and treatment of political detainees under the #BNP Govt led by PM #TariqueRahman. The most recent case is that of 67-year-old Sultan Mia, former councillor of Ward No. 8 of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and president of the ward unit of the Awami League. He died of cardiac arrest on 4 May 2026 while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), after falling ill at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on 24 April. In the last two and a half months alone, four detainees affiliated with the #AwamiLeaguehave died in prison custody. Over the past 21 months, the total number of reported custodial deaths of political detainees has reached at least 46. See: x.com/bdwatch2024/status/203… However, the most disturbing aspect of Sultan Mia’s case is how and why he remained detained. He was arrested from his Gopibagh residence on 18 Oct 2024 in a case filed with Paltan Police Station as an “unnamed accused”, meaning he was not originally named in the case at all. He was subsequently “shown arrested” in nine additional cases. Sultan eventually secured bail in all nine cases before Eid-Ul- Fitr, and his family expected his release. Yet law enforcement authorities then showed him arrested in yet another case filed with Rampura Police Station, ensuring the continuation of his detention. News: thedailystar.net/news/bangla… This custodial death can therefore be directly attributed to two abusive practices being systematically used against political prisoners associated with the Awami League under both the Interim and BNP governments. First, the use of the “unnamed accused” loophole, a widespread phenomenon in criminal cases linked to the violent 2024 protests, enables authorities to arrest individuals who were not initially identified in complaints or FIRs. This has been abused on an industrial scale since Aug 2024. Second, the practice of “showing arrested” individuals in new cases immediately after they secure bail in existing ones, allowing authorities to prolong arbitrary detention indefinitely, effectively nullifying judicial relief. This is not the first time political detainees have paid the ultimate price as a result of such abusive practices. The devastating human impact of the “shown arrested” mechanism was illustrated in the tragic case of former #ChhatraLeague leader Shafiqul Islam, who died after being subjected to this malpractice for eight and a half months. His prolonged incarceration, sustained through repeated “shown arrested” applications, demonstrated the human cost of a system in which legal safeguards are routinely disregarded. See: thedailystar.net/news/bangla… Similarly, the deadly consequences of denying bail on political considerations alone were demonstrated in the case of Jubo League leader AK Azad, who was released from prison two weeks after suffering a severe brain stroke, an ordeal that ultimately led to his death. See: x.com/bdwatch2024/status/204… In the majority of these 46 prison-custody death cases, family members have alleged torture, custodial harassment, medical negligence, or the failure of authorities to provide timely and adequate healthcare. By failing to conduct transparent, credible, and independent investigations into the growing number of custodial deaths, the Yunus-led Interim Govt violated #Bangladesh’s obligations under international law. The BNP Govt now appears to be continuing in the same direction of abuse, neglect, and impunity under the leadership of Tarique Rahman. … #BangladeshCrisis @amnestysasia @StateDRL @hrw @IBAHRI @EURightsAgency @UNHumanRights @omctorg @Ginitastar @PearsonElaine @TheDavidBergman @StateDRL @UN_HRC @SRjudgeslawyers @ESandersFCDO @volker_turk @meeganguly @AgnesCallamard @justiceinfonet @MujMash @HannahEP @CordeliaSkyNews @UN_SPExperts @job71org