15/09/2026
GBUN condemns the reported death sentences imposed in absentia on seven political leaders in Bangladesh: Obaidul Quader, A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim, Mohammad Ali Arafat, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Mainul Hossain Khan, Saddam Hussain, and Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.
No person should face an irreversible punishment through a process that fails to ensure due process, independent legal representation, access to evidence, the right to challenge witnesses, and a meaningful appeal. The right to life and the right to a fair trial apply to everyone, regardless of political affiliation.
GBUN believes these convictions are politically motivated and legally indefensible. Death sentences imposed in absentia, in politically sensitive cases, raise the gravest concerns for judicial independence, human dignity, and democratic rights.
We call for the immediate suspension of all executions, the reversal of these convictions, and an independent international review of the proceedings. The International Crimes Tribunal must be protected from political interference, and the rights of all defendants must be respected.
The international community must not remain silent. The United Nations, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and international human-rights organisations must call for fair trials, due process, and protection of the right to life.
Justice cannot be achieved through judicial persecution. Courts must uphold the law—not become instruments of political punishment.
