China Declines Comment on Sheikh Hasina's Death Sentence, Calls it Bangladesh's 'Internal Matter'
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China has opted not to comment further on the death sentence handed down to ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, labeling it an 'internal affair' for the Dhaka government. The ruling was made by a Bangladeshi tribunal, which convicted Hasina of 'crimes against humanity' for her government's crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. The protests, which lasted from July 15 to August 15, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people, according to the UN. Hasina, 78, was tried in absentia as she fled to India in August 2024, following the massive protests that led to her ousting. Alongside her, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was also sentenced to death for similar charges. However, another co-accused, former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, received a lenient five-year prison sentence after cooperating with the investigation and pleading guilty. The United Nations has expressed regret over the imposition of the death penalty, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk opposing the use of capital punishment in all circumstances. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, stated, 'It is Bangladesh's internal affair.' She also expressed China's commitment to good neighborliness and friendship towards the people of Bangladesh, hoping that the country will achieve solidarity, stability, and development.
