Swedish Lawyer Says at Human Rights Seminar in Geneva: “There Is No Rule of Law or Democratic Rights in Bangladesh, and the Judiciary Has Become a Political Tool”

“There is no rule of law in Bangladesh at the moment, democratic rights have completely collapsed, and the judicial system has been destroyed by turning it into a political tool.”

Swedish lawyer Mona Strindberg speaks at a seminar by international human rights organizations at the Geneva Press Club in Switzerland.

Aynal Karigor

A strong message has once again come from European soil to the international arena against the ruling BNP government in Bangladesh, regarding violations of the law and human rights.

At an international seminar organized at the Geneva Press Club in Switzerland, renowned Swedish lawyer and human rights activist Advocate Mona Hagu Strindberg clearly declared that, “There is currently no rule of law in Bangladesh, democratic rights have completely collapsed, and the judicial system has been destroyed by turning it into a political tool.”

This special international seminar titled ‘Bangladesh’s Constitutional Crisis: Right to Education, Illegal Detention and Sentence of a Farce Tribunal’ was held on October 2nd, jointly organized by the international human rights organization ‘Global Center for Democratic Governance’ (GCDG) and ‘Tumuku Development and Cultural Union’.

Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina delivered the keynote address at the seminar at 9 pm Bangladesh time, joining the event virtually and via audio message.

International outcry over show trial and illegal death penalty

Mona Hagu Strindberg, a registered senior lawyer with the Swedish Bar Association and an international law expert, strongly criticized the illegal activities of the current administration and political courts in her long 9-minute speech.

Regarding the fabricated and farcical tribunal, he said, “The way in which opposition figures and Awami League leaders and activists are being punished through a tribunal formed for political purposes without any internationally recognized impartial investigation or specific evidence is an extreme degradation of the rule of law.”

Regarding planned political oppression and impunity, he said, the current BNP government and administration are jointly imposing the highest punishment like death penalty without any evidence to suppress the opposition political forces, which is a clear violation of international human rights law and UN regulations.

Stating that the democratic environment has declined to zero, the human rights activist said that the current regime has completely taken away freedom of speech, equality under the law, and social and basic security of citizens. He issued a warning on the world stage regarding this.

Global uproar over Sheikh Hasina’s keynote speech in Geneva

As the keynote speaker at the seminar, Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina demanded urgent intervention by the international community against the ongoing inhumane arrests, torture in prisons, and illegal verdicts handed down through kangaroo courts against political leaders and activists in the country.

He reiterated that he cannot be separated from his country and people by the threat of a show trial.

According to diplomatic analysts, after Portuguese politician Paulo Casaca, renowned Swedish lawyer Mona Strindberg’s direct statement at the Geneva Press Club proves that the BNP government’s heinous political vendetta and naked abuse of the judicial system are now internationally proven and condemned.

This international pressure and the final outline of Sheikh Hasina’s historic homecoming in December have put intense pressure on the BNP government, from the country’s streets to every diplomatic table around the world.