Labour MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to two years in prison in Bangladesh after being tried in her absence, alongside 16 others, over allegations of corruption.
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 Dhaka, a claim she strongly contests.
Siddiq, who currently resides in London and has denied the charges, is unlikely to serve the sentence due to the UK's lack of an extradition treaty with Bangladesh.
The sitting MP for Hampstead and Highgate faces multiple outstanding charges in Bangladesh, amid a series of legal actions launched against past leaders and associates since Hasina's regime was overturned.
The trial against Siddiq, which began in August, included accusations that she "forced and influenced her aunt", compelling the court to accept Siddiq's Bangladeshi citizenship based on obtained personal documentation. Her legal representation claims she has never held such a citizenship.
During the trial, Siddiq asserted that the allegations were unfounded and politically motivated. Following her conviction, concerns regarding her legal representation were raised by a group of UK lawyers who questioned the fairness of the proceedings.
This ruling coincides with wider allegations of corruption in Bangladesh, where Siddiq's family has been involved in investigations of embezzlement linked to significant financial deals under Hasina's leadership. Siddiq insists on her innocence amidst a backdrop of political controversy, determined to counter the claims against her.
As she continues to deny all allegations, the implications of this case extend beyond her personal circumstances to touch upon the state of legal practices and human rights in Bangladesh, particularly as political tensions and accusations of injustice escalate.
