Labour MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq has described her two year prison sentence in Bangladesh as deeply unfair after a court convicted her in her absence on corruption charges.
She was found guilty of influencing her aunt, Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure a plot of land for her family in the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, a claim she strongly denies.
Siddiq, who is based in London, has rejected the charges and is unlikely to serve the jail term. She stated that the judicial process surrounding her trial was flawed and farcical from beginning to end.
I'm absolutely baffled by the whole thing - I've still had no contact whatsoever from the Bangladeshi authorities despite them spreading malicious allegations about me for a year-and-a-half now, she commented. Siddiq emphasized her frustration over not receiving any formal communication or summons regarding the charges.
This case comes at a time of heightened scrutiny and legal disputes involving members of Hasina's stripped regime, including Siddiq and her family members. Siddiq's lawyers contend that she has not had the opportunity to represent herself adequately during the trial.
Siddiq was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka (approximately $821). The court accused her of using her influence to secure land for her family members.
In a statement, the Labour Party has asserted that it does not recognize the legitimacy of the trial. With ongoing tensions between Bangladesh's political factions, Siddiq's case underscores the broader implications of these allegations on her political career and the challenges faced by the ousted regime.
She was found guilty of influencing her aunt, Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure a plot of land for her family in the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, a claim she strongly denies.
Siddiq, who is based in London, has rejected the charges and is unlikely to serve the jail term. She stated that the judicial process surrounding her trial was flawed and farcical from beginning to end.
I'm absolutely baffled by the whole thing - I've still had no contact whatsoever from the Bangladeshi authorities despite them spreading malicious allegations about me for a year-and-a-half now, she commented. Siddiq emphasized her frustration over not receiving any formal communication or summons regarding the charges.
This case comes at a time of heightened scrutiny and legal disputes involving members of Hasina's stripped regime, including Siddiq and her family members. Siddiq's lawyers contend that she has not had the opportunity to represent herself adequately during the trial.
Siddiq was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka (approximately $821). The court accused her of using her influence to secure land for her family members.
In a statement, the Labour Party has asserted that it does not recognize the legitimacy of the trial. With ongoing tensions between Bangladesh's political factions, Siddiq's case underscores the broader implications of these allegations on her political career and the challenges faced by the ousted regime.
