Disregard for right to life: Amnesty condemns hanging of two over RU prof murder
As of December 2022, at least 2000 individuals were believed to be under the sentence of death in Bangladesh, says Amnesty
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has condemned the hanging of the two convicts on Thursday night over the murder of Rajshahi University Professor S Taher Ahmed in 2006.
"We condemn the recent executions and the persistent use of the death penalty in Bangladesh. It shows the Government's continued callous disregard for the right to life," said Amnesty International's death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio.
The hanged convicts are Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin, former associate professor at the Department of Geology and Mining of Rajshahi University; and Jahangir Alam, former caretaker of Professor S Taher's house. Their executions took place at 10:01pm on Thursday.
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Sangiorgio said, "The death penalty is never the solution. We believe that the state must not have the right to take anyone's life in the name of justice, and this is reinforced by the growing number of abolitionist countries across the world.
"Regardless of the crimes committed, no one should suffer this ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Moreover, there is no credible evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect.
On behalf of Amnesty International, he called upon the Government of Bangladesh to establish an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty in the country.
"The authorities must review the cases of all those currently under a death sentence with the aim of commuting their sentences or offering them a fair retrial without recourse to the death penalty. They must also bring all laws and judicial practices in line with fair trial guarantees."
Between January 2018 and December 2022, Amnesty International recorded that at least 13 people were executed in Bangladesh, and 912 death sentences were imposed by trial courts.
As of December 2022, at least 2000 individuals were believed to be under the sentence of death. Earlier this year in February, another man was executed for murder at Kashimpur Central jail in Bangladesh.
