29 mars 2008
La Communauté internationale s'apprête à oublier Sigma Huda. Mais les sorcières ne l'oublient pas !
Le 
CDH a (presque) fermé ses débats qui s'achèveront au cours d'une ultime demi journée la semaine prochaine.
Sigma Huda a été destituée de son poste de rapporteure spéciale le 13 mars dans l'indifférence générale.
Aprés avoir vu sa demande de libération sous caution refusée au début du mois, le droit de visite hebdomadaire de ses proches a été supprimé, et elle n'aura plus droit qu'à une visite par mois. Le motif ? On a trouvé son mari - emprisonné dans un autre endroit de la prison - utiliser un téléphone portable.
Dans ce pays où les femmes sont considérées comme des sous catégories, obligatoirement dépendantes et complices de chacune des actions de leur mari, elle subit donc le même châtiment que lui.
(Pour plus d'information sur la situation de Sigma Huda, lire l'excellent rapport fait en février au retour du voyage de Janice Raymond et Dorchen Leidhold au Bengladesh. )
Ni le Haut commissariat, ni les ONG qui semblent si concernées par les violations des droits humains FIDH; HRW, Amnesty ne semblent s'émouvoir. La France n'est même pas intervenue au titre du droit humanitaire. Le Bengladesh, un des pays les plus pauvres d'Asie, ne semble passionner qu'en cas de mousson. Quelques pompiers, quelques architectes pour remonter à la va vite les maisons dévastées, quelques ONG humanitaires et le tour est joué. On a sa bonne conscience pour soit.
Et puis le Bengladesh est si instable, les islamistes de nos jours, il ne vaut mieux pas les chatouiller.
Elle n'est plus Rapporteure Spéciale. Elle n'est plus rien.
C'est pourquoi je mets en ligne ses trois derniers rapports sur la traite.
Le premier portait sur la traite et la demande masculine dans le cadre de l'industrie du sexe, sujet révolutionnaire s'il en est ! sigma_huda_french.
Le deuxième portait sur la traite aux fins de mariages forcés Huda_Mariage_forc_ auquel s'ajoutait celui aprés son voyage au Qatar, Oman et Barhein. Huda_Barhein_Qatar .
Elle prévoyait de faire un voyage dans les Emirats Arabes Unis. Lorsque l'on sait que ce sont eux qui sont les principaux sponsors du nouvel organe UNgift sensé lutter contre la traite, il est probable qu'un rapport de Sigma Huda - avocate infatigable connue pour sa détermination à ne jamais plier devant les autorités - n'aurait pas été bien venu.
La mobilisation du 8 mars d'une dizaine de femmes ne s'arrêtera pas là. Le Mouvement pour la paix et contre le terrorisme ce matin rappelait ce matin sa volonté de soutenir et ne pas oublier Sigma Huda.
Oui nous sommes toutes des sorcières, et pas seulement le 8 mars.
15 mars 2008
Sigma,13 mars, quelques minutes avant 15h, le verdict du Conseil concernant Sigma Huda
Le president du Conseil Monsieur Daru Costea :
"Laissez moi faire une annonce. Il est devenu clair que la Rapporteure spéciale sur la Traite, en particulier des femmes et des enfants, Madame Sigma Huda, n'est pas dans une position pour venir à Genève. Elle ne peut donc pas présenter son rapport sous la référence A/HRC/7/13. Comme Madame Huda n'a pas été capable de venir participer à quelque session que ce soit depuis la deuxième session du Conseil en septembre 2006, et comme il semble hautement improbable qu'elle sera en mesure de participer à de futures sessions, je proposerai au Conseil, d'inclure son mandat sur la liste des mandats des rapporteurs vacants à désigner en juin prochain."
Silence dans la salle durant environ 1 seconde
"Je pense que nous sommes tous d'accords. "
Le président frappe avec le marteau de séance sur la table
"Il en est ainsi décidé. Merci."
Photo de Sigma Huda le 20 septembre 2006 lors de la présentation de son rapport
Lorsque les autorités du Bengladesh empêchaient Sigma Huda de se rendre au Conseil présenter son rapport
15 mai 2007, la rapporteure spéciale de l'ONU sur la Traite, Madame Sigma Huda se rend à l'aéroport de Dhaka afin de participer à une réunion de l'ONU à New York puis présenter son rapport lors de la quatrième session du Conseil. Les autorités du Bengladesh l'empechent de prendre son avion.
Le 16 mai 2007, Sigma Huda se rend à nouveau à l'aéroport. On lui apprend alors que la Cour vient d'émettre un ordre lui interdisant de quitter le pays.
Début juin, un journaliste d'Associated Press la contacte par téléphone. Cet article a été publié dans plusieurs journaux, dont le Herald Tribune International. La presse française n'en a dit mot.
UN human rights expert faces Bangladesh corruption trial
The Associated Press
Friday, June 15, 2007
GENEVA: U.N. human rights expert who has been outspoken against the Bangladesh government said she expected to be arrested imminently.
Sigma Huda, a lawyer appointed by the United Nations in 2004 as an independent expert on people trafficking, said Friday that the case against her was linked to that of her husband, Nazmul Huda, who was arrested in February as part of an anti-corruption drive by Bangladesh's military-backed interim government.
Huda, who was blocked by a court order from attending the U.N. Human Rights Council this week, said she expected she would be charged Monday with corruption offenses and would plead innocent.
She said her husband, a communications minister in former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's government, was still in jail awaiting trial.
Huda said she feared she would not receive a fair trial.
"If there was fair play, and if there was justice, then I would have faced the trial happily," she told The Associated Press by telephone from Bangladesh. "I'm dreading what they (the government) are going to do because I've been very aggressive in my dealing with them."
Huda said she was being targeted by the government for her work as a human rights lawyer in Bangladesh.
"I've helped a lot of aggrieved persons and disadvantaged groups. I've done a lot of cases whereby the law enforcement agencies have been brought to book for deaths in custody, and torture in custody. I am very visible," she said.
Huda has been outspoken about corruption within the police service, and campaigned on behalf of women and homeless people.
Officials at the country's diplomatic mission in Geneva said they had no information on her case.
Huda has been prevented from leaving Bangladesh since April, according to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which has asked the government for urgent clarification about her situation.
"We have still not received the clarification we requested from the government regarding the proceedings or charges against her," Jose Diaz, a spokesman for the high commissioner, said Friday.
"In light of the convention on privileges and immunities of the U.N. and the regulations on the status, rights and duties of U.N. experts on mission, we had asked for clarification as to why she was not being allowed to fulfill her duties as special rapporteur," Diaz said.
Under international conventions Huda enjoys certain diplomatic privileges that prevent her arrest or detention while she is acting in her role as a U.N. rights expert. These privileges would have to be lifted by the United Nations before she could be prosecuted.
Huda, who was scheduled to speak before the U.N. council in Geneva this week, said she was continuing with her work despite not being able to leave the country to conduct her investigations into human trafficking around the world.
11 mars 2008
Sigma Huda chez Kafka
La rapporteure spéciale de l'ONU sur la traite, en particulier des femmes et des enfants Sigma Huda s'est vue refuser sa demande de liberté sous caution. Malgré son état de santé qui empire chaque jour, la Haute cour du Bengladesh, instituée depuis le coup d'Etat militaire en janvier 2007, a indiqué que la liberté sous caution ne pouvait être accordée que pour des peines ne dépassant pas 90 jours.
Nous apprenons par ailleurs que Sigma Huda ne reçoit toujours pas le traitement médical dont elle a besoin et que ses conditions de détention demeurent inhumaines.
Pendant ce temps, le Conseil des Droits de l'Homme ouvrait sa 7ème session le 3 mars et inscrivait la rapporteure spéciale dans son ordre du jour.
Le 4 mars, l'Organisation de la Conférence Islamique et le Mouvement des Non alignés, demandaient le changement de l'agenda pour que le Conseil discute en priorité le 6 mars, du point de l'ordre du jour consacré à la situation dans les territoires palestiniens.
Pareil changement nécessitait bien entendu la refonte de tout l'ordre du jour et le Président du Conseil remercia le 5 mars au soir, les rapporteurs qui avaient accepté de reporter la présentation de leur rapport à la session de juin.
Lundi 10 mars, le nom de Sigma Huda avait disparu de l'agenda remanié. Ironie du calendrier, le même jour, le groupe de travail sur les détentions arbitraires présentait son rapport et le représentant du Bengladesh, membre du Conseil ne manqua pas de faire des déclarations "bouleversantes" pour la protection des droits humains.
Est-ce un hasard si le rapporteur spécial sur les droits des migrants intégrait dans son rapport les questions relatives à la traite des personnes ? Toujours est-il que les 10 et 11 mars, plusieurs ONG et gouvernements s'offusquèrent en coeur sur l'horreur de la traite des femmes et des enfants, certains se réjouissant du nouveau forum (UNG GIFT) mis en place pour lutter contre la traite, initié par les Emirats Arabes Unis.
Comment nos démocraties parviendront-elles à se regarder en face - en particulier la France membre du Conseil qui s'apprête à accueillir les célébrations du 60ème anniversaire - si jamais la rapporteure spéciale sur la traite de l'ONU Sigma Huda, cette grande figure du mouvement des femmes venait à mourir pour non assistance à experte de l'ONU en danger ?
Plusieurs femmes se sont mobilisées le 8 mars 2008. La CATW est sur la brèche depuis janvier 2007. Femmes Solidaires a engagé une campagne à ses côtés qui ne s'arrêtera pas là. Esperons que les associations droits humains et droits des femmes se mobiliseront à leur côté. Il en va de leur crédibilité.
21 février 2008
Sigma Huda, la rapporteure spéciale sur la traite de l'ONU, dans un état critique en prison au Bengladesh
Janice Raymond et Dorchen Leidhold se sont rendues au Bengladesh pour la Coalition contre la traite des femmes, pour essayer de rencontrer Sigma Huda, la rapporteure spéciale sur la traite de l'ONU, emprisonnée aprés un procès sans observateur international.
A noter que le Bengladesh est membre du Conseil des droits de l'Homme, ainsi que la France qui ne se manifeste pas face à cette situation scandaleuse qui dure depuis plusieurs mois.
Femmes Solidaires s'associe à la campagne de la CATW
Le rapport de la mission de Janice Raymond et Dorchen Leidhold glace le sang. La France, qui considère comme sujet prioritaire l'indépendance des juges et la détention arbitraire au sein du CDH agira-t-elle enfin ?
J'ai pour ma part sollicité le Ministère des Affaires Etrangères à de multiples reprises pour la CATW. Aprés le témoignage poignant de Janice Raymond et Dorchen Leidhold, les autorités françaises interviendront elles ? Les jours de Sigma Huda, cette grande figure du mouvement des femmes en Asie, son comptés.
(Photo de Sigma Huda à Madrid, en novembre 2006)
L'état d'urgence prolongé au Bangladesh aggrave les violations des droits humains
Communiqué pour la 7ème session du Conseil des Droits de l'Homme
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2008
ALRC-CWS-07-001-2008
A written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre to the 7th session of the UN Human Rights Council
BANGLADESH: The prolonged State of Emergency is resulting in widespread violations of human rights
A State of Emergency, which was proclaimed by the President of Bangladesh on January 11, 2007, has been prolonged for more than 13 months without any justification. The State of Emergency is at the source of a range of human rights violations. Over 250,000 have been arbitrarily arrested and many such detainees have been tortured during this time.
The military-backed interim government of Bangladesh has made amendments to the Emergency Powers Rules-2007, adding clauses, including in Rule 18A(1), which now states that, regardless of whatever provisions exist in other laws or in the rules in question, the government or the Anti-Corruption Commission may withdraw any cases from any Sessions Court, Magistrate Court, Special Judge's Court or Tribunal in any part of the country to a Special Judge's Court appointed under Criminal Law Amendment Act-1958 for trial, if deemed necessary for public interest. Furthermore, Rule 18A (2) adds that the subsequent trial of any case that has been transferred under sub-section (1) shall be conducted under the Emergency Powers Rules and the Criminal Law Amendment Act-1958. Rule 18B (2) states that and Special Judge will have the authority to try any cases concerning all crimes under the Rules and during the State of Emergency, and that Special Judges' Courts! will have territorial jurisdiction over all of Bangladesh.
Rule 10(2), which states that all crimes committed under this law shall be cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bailable, is a particularly worrying addition, as is Section 6 (1) of the Emergency Powers Ordinance-2007, which provides blanket impunity for all actions to State actors.
In making these amendments to the Emergency Powers Rules-2007, the military-backed interim government has effectively bypassed the regular courts and ensured that Special Judges' Courts, under the control of specially appointed judges, are able to take over any and all cases of alleged corruption. This has guaranteed that the people that are being targeted by the government can be convicted under the arbitrary sections of the Emergency Powers Rules during the State of Emergency. Special Judges' Courts have now even been established in dormitories located in the national parliament in order to try politicians that the government wants to expel from the political arena. Charges of corruption while they were in government are being brought against such persons. Many of the politicians who have been collaborating with the present government are not being subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention and corruption charges.
Access to these Special Judges' Courts is restricted for common citizens by the government. The detained politicians and business persons, including two former Prime Ministers, several former cabinet ministers and members of parliament, allege that the government has been denying them access to lawyers and conducting in camera trials in these special courts, which violate their right to a fair trial. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for example, who has cases lodged against her by the government, has been denied access to lawyers while in detention.
Rule 21A(1) states that the government is entitled to introduce any kind of administrative measures to assist inquiries, investigations, trials and any other actions it undertakes concerning crimes under these Rules. This carte blanche has enabled the authorities to carry out widespread and arbitrary actions against the country's citizens, notably arbitrary arrest and detentions. These have been carried out in conjunction with Rule 16(2), which allows the law and order enforcement forces -- the police, armed forces, paramilitary security forces and intelligence services -- to arrest any person without a warrant and then implicate them using fabricated charges while they are in detention.
This clause is used systematically now by law-enforcers and the administration to harass people. Whenever and wherever in the country a complaint is registered with the police, they now add Rule 16(2) by default to the complaint, meaning that the alleged accused has breached the Emergency Powers Rules-2007. It is impossible to argue that all things that happen in Bangladesh are related to the State of emergency and this is being used simply to create greater fear for the accused and to give the authorities unjustifiable powers over these persons.
Under these Rules persons are subject to summary investigations and trials. They are tried and sentenced within 45 days of the beginning of trial, unless "unavoidable circumstances" require an extension of a further 30 days. The court must apply to the Supreme Court to request such an extension. Normally in Bangladesh investigations by the police and the prosecution and subsequent trials, on the contrary, take around five to ten years or more to conclude due to inefficiency, corruption and political interference. That these same institutions are now able to conduct rapid proceedings in order to fulfil the directives of the Emergency Powers Ordinance-2007 and the Emergency Powers Rules-2007 seems difficult to believe, unless these are being carried out in a summary manner. Such investigations and prosecutions cannot be credible. Along with political opponents to the government, the marginalized and poor sections of the society are bearing the brun! t of the violations under the current state of emergency.
All the afore-mentioned clauses of the Emergency Powers Rules-2007 are absolutely contradictory to the provisions of the country's Constitution, especially the provisions that enshrine fundamental rights. The ALRC has documented numerous cases of arbitrary arrest, often carried out on a scale that is difficult to imagine in many other countries. Such arrests are frequently followed by arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, torture and the fabrication of charges against those arrested. Persons who are wealthy enough to afford the expensive help of lawyers in the Supreme Court are able to achieve some temporary remedies, but the vast majority of the hundreds that have been arrested, detained and tortured, have no avenues to seek remedies from the State at this time and the print and electronic media are under direct and indirect censorship under the State of Emergency.
Under Rule 19D, persons accused of committing any crime under the Rules and who are under investigation or trial cannot appeal to any court or tribunal in order to get bail during the State of Emergency, regardless of other laws, such as section 497 and 498 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Furthermore, Rule 19E prohibits people's right to get redress from any court until the verdict of the trial on the case is declared. It is worth noting that courts in Bangladesh are in general incapable of ensuring fair trials, and are a source of fear rather than succour for the country's citizens.
Since the proclamation of the State of Emergency on January 11, 2007 over 150 detention orders have been declared illegal by the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. The members of this body are nearly all either top politicians or business people, with only a few members being professionals. Given that there have been around 250,000 people arbitrarily arrested during the last 13 months, the fact that there have been only just over 150 habeas corpus challenges in the Supreme Court indicates how out of reach such actions are for the majority of persons. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court stayed 27 orders that the High Court Division had declared 'illegal' on 27 March 2007. As of the second week of February 2008, 113 writ petitions relating to detention orders imposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs remained pending before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
One of the victims of arbitrary detention, namely Mr. Abdul Qayum Khan, who was an elected commissioner of the Dhaka City Corporation and who was detained in prison from January 12, 2007 to January 10, 2008, when he was granted bail by a High Court Bench and released, was re-arrested by the police at the gate of the prison as he was being released. He was placed in preventive detention on January 24, 2008 for another month. On February 8, 2008, he died in the custody of the Dhaka Central Jail, allegedly as the result of a lack of medical treatment for the serious illness he had suffered during his prolonged detention in the unhygienic conditions of the prison.
The Appellate Division, which is the highest branch of the courts of the country, has not even been able to deal with the pending petitions before it concerning the arbitrary detention of persons, let alone the allegations of torture and bringing those responsible to justice. The ongoing arbitrary detention for indefinite periods without any justification must be halted and this can only be done effectively by the immediate lifting of the State of Emergency.
The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) urges the Human Rights Council to urge the Bangladeshi authorities to immediately lift the State of Emergency and reinstate the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh, as well as the international human rights instruments to which the country is party. Arbitrarily arrested citizens should be immediately released, adequate compensation must be provided, and all reports of torture and extra-judicial killings must be fully investigated with punishment and reparation being provided in compliance with international human rights laws and standards. All laws that run contrary to the enjoyment of rights, such as the Emergency Powers Ordinance-2007, the Emergency Powers Rules-2007 and the Special Powers Act-1974 must be repealed without delay.
The ALRC also reiterates that an independent and effective national human rights institution should be established, which would mandated with receiving complaints, conducting investigations and providing redress to victims of human rights abuses. This system should supplement the criminal justice system rather than replace it, and legislation criminalising torture should be promulgated without delay to strengthen this system. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Bangladesh is urged to issue standing invitations to all the Special Procedures' mandates, especially mandates dealing with arbitrary arrests and detention, with torture and with extra-judicial killings. The ALRC also urges the Office of the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Human Rights Council to take all measures necessary to ensure the increased monitoring of the situation in the country, as they are so far failing to address a deepening crisis. Bangladesh is clearly flouting ! every acceptable norm and standard while occupying a position on the Council. The ALRC has previously highlighted the issues above and other related matters to the Council, but it is failing to take any interest or any credible action concerning this country. It is hoped that this will start to change.
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About the ALRC: The Asian Legal Resource Centre is an independent regional non-governmental organisation holding general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. It is the sister organisation of the Asian Human Rights Commission. The Hong Kong-based group seeks to strengthen and encourage positive action on legal and human rights issues at the local and national levels throughout Asia.
08 février 2008
Le Bangladesh, membre du Conseil des Droits de l'Homme, en état d'urgence militaire depuis un an
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