Sheikh Hasina, the deposed Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has filed a petition with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, accusing the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of committing crimes against humanity. Through her lawyer, Steven Powles KC of Doughty Street Chambers, London, Hasina has submitted an Article 15 Communication to the ICC, requesting that the Prosecutor initiate an investigation into retaliatory violence against members and office-bearers of the Awami League party, as well as officials from the previous Cabinet and government.
Hasina alleges that the crimes committed by the interim administration in the aftermath of protests in Bangladesh, which forced her to flee the country in August 2024, fall within the ICC’s jurisdiction. Article 15 of the Rome Statute allows the ICC to initiate investigations based on serious complaints. Bangladesh ratified the Rome Statute on March 23, 2010, and it entered into force on June 1, 2010, giving the ICC competence to consider her petition.
The petition claims there is a reasonable basis to believe that the alleged acts - including murder, imprisonment, and persecution - constitute crimes against humanity. These offenses, the communication argues, are unlikely to be genuinely investigated or prosecuted in Bangladesh, potentially resulting in impunity. According to the petition, over 400 Awami League leaders and activists have been killed since July 2024, many through beatings and lynching by violent mobs. Witness testimonies and video evidence support these allegations. The petition also highlights a pattern of arrests of individuals associated with or perceived to be associated with the Awami League, including politicians, judges, lawyers, journalists, actors, and singers, often without bail or formal charges. Since August 2024, at least 25 detainees have reportedly died in custody, with some showing signs of torture.
The petition further details "Operation Devils Hunt," a 12-day nationwide crackdown launched by the unelected interim government in February 2025 to combat what it called "Awami fascism." Police and military forces reportedly arrested around 18,000 people during this operation. Additionally, on October 14, 2024, the interim administration issued an immunity order protecting those involved in torturing Awami League affiliates.
Given the lack of prospects for impartial investigation and prosecution within Bangladesh, Hasina’s legal team argues that the ICC is the most viable avenue for justice. The ICC’s decision on whether to open a formal investigation could have significant implications for Bangladesh’s political landscape and its international standing.