A lawyer has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court in The Hague accusing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her government ministers and their associated state actors of crimes against humanity.

Asraful Arafin, a lawyer for the 3 Chambers of the Bolt Court in London, brought the case under Article 15 of the Rome Statute on October 28, seeking an independent investigation into what he mentioned as selective extrajudicial executions during the mass uprising, torture in secret detention centers and other atrocities.

He asked the ICC to issue arrest warrants for key suspects to prevent further impunity, according to a press release.

In Bangladesh, more than 200 murder cases have been filed since she fled to India on August 5.

Lawyers say the ICC can take cognizance of the complaint if it finds that Bangladesh courts cannot do so. Member states of the UN Security Council have veto power over the ICC.

The statement said Bangladesh witnessed a shocking tragedy when the government launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in July and August.

“These forces indiscriminately used firearms, rubber bullets, sound grenades and lethal weapons such as pellets and live ammunition,” the statement read.

More than 1,400 civilians were reportedly killed and 22,000 injured, he said, adding that at least 92 people were blinded and hundreds suffered life-changing injuries.

The then government imposed a nationwide internet blackout and restricted all communications, obstructing efforts to document the violence, he added.

“These systematic extrajudicial executions, disappearances and acts of torture, including alleged abuses in secret detention centers like Ayna Ghar, amount to crimes against humanity under international law and reflect a calculated effort to eliminate political opposition and silence dissent.”

There are considerable doubts about the ability of Bangladesh’s judicial system to conduct an impartial investigation into these serious crimes because a large number of the country’s state and law enforcement officials were chosen by the Hasina administration.

Furthermore, the interim government is expected to remain in power until the next parliamentary elections, after which a new political government could take power, potentially compromising justice for the sake of political expediency.

“Furthermore, given that Sheikh Hasina currently resides in India and due to her political ties there, the execution of any domestic conviction remains uncertain. However, an international arrest warrant could put pressure on India to cooperate with the community. global”.

In February 2014, British lawyer Toby Cadman filed an application on behalf of the International Coalition for Rights Freedoms before the ICC, accusing the Awami League government of “committing mass murder and crimes against humanity.”

The ICC rejected that request.