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Bangladesh court convicts dozens more over border guard mutiny

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] A Bangladeshi special court in the district of Sathkhira on Monday sentenced 56 members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on charges relating to their involvement in last year's border guard mutiny that left 74 dead. Of the 60 charged with taking up arms, firing, driving their army commanders out of offices and homes, and blocking a road during the 33-hour mutiny, 24 received the maximum seven-year sentence, and only four were acquitted. Civilian courts will hear the more serious charges faced by another 2,200 guards, such as murder, for which those found guilty may be subject to the death penalty. These were the fourth set of convictions relating to the mutiny, coming just one day after a special court in Feni convicted 57 BDR members on similar charges. The six special courts were established shortly after the Bangladeshi Supreme Court recommended against military court-martial trials for BDR members who took part in the mutiny. Dozens of BDR officers, including the force's commander, were killed and their bodies left in sewers and shallow graves during the mutiny, which was sparked by grievances over pay and conditions. President Zillur Rahman asked for the court's opinion to determine whether the accused should be tried under the Army Act of 1952 or whether they should face civilian trials. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina initially offered the mutineers amnesty as part of a deal negotiated to end the uprising, but the agreement was rescinded when the conduct of the mutineers was fully revealed.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 19, 2010 (boomark / email).