Bangladesh's Former Leader Hasina Sentenced to Jail for Contempt

A special tribunal has sentenced Bangladesh's former leader Sheikh Hasina to six months in jail after she was found in contempt of court for allegedly claiming she had a license to kill at least 227 people.

The case stemmed from a leaked audio recording of a supposed phone conversation where a person alleged to be Hasina mentioned having a license to kill 227 people. The recording was confirmed to be authentic through forensic analysis.

The sentencing by the Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal occurred as a trial against her on charges of crimes against humanity began in June. Hasina and her former home minister failed to respond to court orders, leading to the tribunal issuing the sentence.

Hasina and her party had criticized the tribunal and its prosecution team for alleged political connections. The tribunal was established by Hasina in 2009 to investigate and try crimes related to Bangladesh's independence war in 1971.

In February, the U.N. human rights office estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in Bangladesh during a crackdown on student-led protests against Hasina.

According to the source: ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos.