World leaders who have met the same fate as Sheikh Hasina

The International Crimes Tribunal has ordered the execution of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal by hanging in a case of crimes against humanity for the genocide committed in July-August 24. The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder gave the verdict on Monday (November 17) afternoon. The other two members of the tribunal are Justice Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Judge Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.

Leaders around the world have been sentenced to death for crimes ranging from war crimes to corruption, abuse of power and human rights violations. The latest death sentence was given to Sheikh Hasina by the tribunal today. Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, former Pakistani President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and several other world leaders suffered the same fate.

World leaders who met the same fate as Sheikh Hasina—

1. Saddam Hussein (Iraq, 2006)
Convicted of crimes against humanity related to the Dujail massacre, Saddam Hussein was hanged after his overthrow in 2003.

2. Nicolae Ceausescu (Romania, 1989)
The Romanian dictator was sentenced to death by firing squad after a speedy military trial for abuse of power and crimes against the people. His trial, which lasted only a few hours, ended 24 years of authoritarian rule and is one of the most famous examples of post-revolutionary justice.

3. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Pakistan, 1979)
The former Pakistani prime minister was executed in Rawalpindi for plotting an assassination during the military regime of General Zia-ul-Haq.

4. Ion Antonescu (Romania, 1946)
The wartime leader was executed by firing squad for colluding with Nazi Germany and committing war crimes against Jews and Roma.

5. Pervez Musharraf (death in absentia)
Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf seized power in 1999 and was later charged with treason after suspending the constitution and imposing a state of emergency in 2007. In December 2019, he was executed in absentia while in self-imposed exile in Dubai.

Convicted of genocide, war crimes and corruption, Nguema was executed after being overthrown in a military coup. Millions of people were killed or displaced during his brutal rule.

7. Ferenc Szállás (Hungary, 1946)
The fascist wartime leader of Hungary was hanged for war crimes and treason after World War II.

8. Louis XVI (France, 1793)
The French king was guillotined for treason during the French Revolution.

9. Charles I of England (United Kingdom, 1649)
Charles was publicly beheaded in 1649 after the English Civil War after being convicted of treason.

10. Benito Mussolini (Italy, 1945)
The Italian dictator was executed by firing squad in 1945 after being ousted from power at the end of World War II. He was shot without a trial.

11. Adnan Menderes (Turkey, 1961)
The former Turkish Prime Minister was hanged in 1961 after a military coup for political crimes during his administration.

12. Hideki Tojo (Japan, 1948)
The wartime Prime Minister of Japan was executed by hanging in 1948 after being convicted of war crimes committed during World War II.