Is the Judiciary in Bangladesh Being Weaponized by the Yunus Government?

Dhaka, July 10 (NationPress) The Awami League party of Bangladesh issued a strong condemnation on Thursday regarding the "weaponization" of the judiciary and the ongoing state-sponsored persecution under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

"We firmly reject the indictment against our party president and other leaders, asserting that this action is a clear indication of the continuous witch hunt against our party and the weaponization of the judiciary by the Yunus regime. Over the past 11 months, public trust in the judicial system has dwindled, as the Yunus administration has transformed this vital state institution into a tool for silencing dissent," stated a party release.

According to the Awami League, notorious criminals and violent militants have been granted bail through the judiciary. They claimed that under Yunus, Bangladesh has seen an alarming rise in mob assaults on unlawfully detained dissenters within court premises, occurring in broad daylight and violating the fundamental rights of those facing motivated charges.

"Judges are now being influenced by Yunus-affiliated mobs inside the courtroom. To obstruct the legal rights of arbitrarily detained individuals, the regime has sponsored attacks on lawyers attempting to provide legal assistance, which undermines the fairness and transparency of the judiciary. This series of state-sponsored repression and the impunity enjoyed by the attackers serve as evidence that the judiciary has succumbed to mob rule. Judges and lawyers alike are facing intimidation, reminiscent of a lawless environment that guarantees a predetermined trial outcome," the statement further elaborated.

The Awami League appealed to the international community not to be misled by a series of "fabricated audio clips" produced by "regime enablers" targeting party President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These materials are being disseminated on social media by pro-Yunus supporters and have been cited by prosecutors, subsequently accepted by judges in sentencing decisions against the previous administration.

"Contrary to UN recommendations, the regime has imposed a ban on our party, justifying this illegal prohibition by manipulating the judiciary, further validating coercive measures sanctioned by a kangaroo court," the party asserted.

The party highlighted a series of biased actions aimed at utilizing the trial as Yunus’s state-sanctioned weapon against dissenters, including the Awami League.

"By resorting to this kangaroo court, the Yunus regime has denied justice to the victims of July-August and legitimized the abuse of the judiciary to dismantle opposition, not to mention perpetuating ongoing atrocities, including extrajudicial killings of citizens affiliated with the Awami League—all of which are oppressive actions that contravene universal human rights. While we reaffirm our commitment to a fair trial for the July-August victims, we continue to express our lack of trust in the current judicial proceedings," the party insisted.