By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 8 2007 (IPS)

The United Nations has expressed concern over the detention of one of its human rights experts by the Bangladeshi government on charges of corruption.

U.N. Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda. Credit: UN Photo

Huda was expected to be in Geneva next week where she was scheduled to address a human rights meeting.

Yves Sorokobi, a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, told IPS the United Nations has been advised that Huda has been prevented from leaving Bangladesh, “where she has reportedly been charged under provisions of anti-corruption legislation in that country.”

“We have requested clarification from the Bangladeshi authorities regarding the legal proceedings and charges against Ms. Huda,” he said.

Sorokobi said the United Nations is seeking further clarification, particularly in the context of the international convention on privileges and immunities of U.N. experts on mission and their status, rights and duties.

The Institute on Religion and Public Policy released a letter purported to have been written by Huda, who said: “Whilst I am writing to you, the Joint Task Force comprising of officers from the armed forces and the government are searching my chambers and the office space from where I work as Special Rapporteur.”

“They are making inventory of my belongings and not even caring that I am immune from any (such) indignity under the U.N. Convention on Privileges and Immunities which Bangladesh has ratified in 1978, without any reservation.”

In her letter, Huda also said the Bangladeshi authorities “have gone so far as to intimidate my lawyers working in the Office of the Special Rapporteur seeking their home addresses and making them witness to what I do not know.”

In a statement released Thursday, the president of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, Joseph Grieboski, said “such treatment of an international civil servant dedicated to combating the worst form of modern slavery is unjust, unjustifiable, illegal and inhumane.”

He said the interim government of Bangladesh “has mistakenly believed that no one is attentive to its treatment of Ms. Huda. The international community must not remain silent as Ms. Huda is victimised by this Hensonian [puppet] regime.”

Meanwhile, a coalition of non-governmental organisations and human rights activists, led by the Institute, has written a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressing “our deep concern” regarding the detention of Huda.

“The detention of Ms. Huda within Bangladesh is a denial by the government of Bangladesh of her inalienable right to freedom of movement and a direct attack on both the principles and institution of the United Nations,” the letter said.

Huda “has been an ardent supporter and activist for women’s rights, as well as an advocate for victims of trafficking around the world… It is truly a tragedy to witness the misuse of power against an individual who has dedicated her life to protecting the rights of others.”

The letters asks “immediate U.S. intervention” in order to press the government of Bangladesh to permit Huda to carry out her duties and responsibilities as U.N. Special Rapporteur.

Since January, the interim government in Bangladesh headed by former Central Bank Governor Fakhruddin Ahmed has arrested over 170 people on charges of bribery and corruption.

Those detained include Awami League party General Secretary Abdul Jalil, and a slew of former ministers who served in the governments of former prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina Wajed.

The probe has reached the highest levels of government with Sheikh Hasina Wajed being dragged into an investigation that involves the purchase of some 223 million dollars worth of arms. The former prime minister has denied the charges.

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