Responding to the late-night execution of two men on death row in the Rajshahi Central Jail of Bangladesh, Amnesty International’s death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said:
“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.
“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.
“Amnesty International calls 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.”
Background:
As per media reports, the executions of Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin and Jahangir Alam were conducted at 10.01pm on 27 July 2023 at Rajshahi Central Jail. Both had been convicted in the Rajshahi University teacher Prof S Taher Ahmed 2006 murder case.
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.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in all cases and under any circumstances. We publish a report annually, reporting figures and analysing trends for each country. Amnesty International’s latest report, Death Sentences and Executions 2022, was released in May 2023.
