Amnesty International is calling on the Bangladesh government to refer alleged acts of brutality during the July–August 2024 protests to the International Criminal Court (ICC) under Article 14 of the Rome Statute.
The UK-based human rights organization made the statement after a BBC report surfaced this week containing what it described as audio evidence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina authorizing lethal force against demonstrators.
Allegations of Widespread Violence
According to a February 2025 fact-finding report by the United Nations, approximately 1,400 people may have been killed during the protests.
“The vast majority of whom were killed by military rifles and shotguns loaded with lethal metal pellets commonly used by Bangladesh’s security forces,” the report noted.
Thousands more were injured, with many suffering life-altering wounds.
Amnesty’s Demand for Accountability
Amnesty is calling for a comprehensive vision of justice, starting with a genuinely independent probe into this summer’s human rights abuses.
The group stresses that for accountability to be meaningful, any resulting trials must not only be fair and ban the death penalty, but also hold the entire chain of command responsible—from the low-level perpetrators to the leaders who gave the orders.
Possible Referral to ICC
Referring the case to the ICC, Amnesty argues, would be in line with Article 14 of the Rome Statute.
This recommendation echoes one made in the UN’s own findings earlier this year.
Growing International Scrutiny
Amnesty’s latest demand is piling onto the immense pressure already facing the interim government over the protest crackdown.
With a growing mountain of evidence and a chorus of international condemnation, the leadership is now caught in a political firestorm. Their next move will be seen by the world as the true test of their commitment to justice.
