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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 761 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 761

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
 violation of the human rights of United Nations Special Rapporteur on 
   Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, and others, by the caretaker 
                       government of Bangladesh.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 18, 2007

Mr. Wolf submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
 violation of the human rights of United Nations Special Rapporteur on 
   Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, and others, by the caretaker 
                       government of Bangladesh.

Whereas the Constitution of Bangladesh, ratified in 1972 following a war of 
        independence, established a democracy ruled by and for the people;
Whereas the government of Bangladesh has been controlled by a military-backed 
        emergency ``caretaker'' government since January 2007;
Whereas the caretaker government under President Iajjudin Ahmad imposed a state 
        of emergency, subsequently suspending the fundamental rights of the 
        people;
Whereas United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, 
        has been a important leader and humanitarian in the global effort to 
        combat trafficking in persons;
Whereas United Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda is suffering from coronary 
        artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and chronic renal failure, requiring 
        special medical attention and surgery;
Whereas the Anti-Corruption Commission established by the caretaker government 
        forced United Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda to leave hospital 
        treatment in an ambulance to come before a special court, lying on a 
        stretcher in hospital attire;
Whereas United Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda has been subjected to 
        pretrial detention and imprisonment ever since July 5, 2007, under harsh 
        conditions that threaten her life;
Whereas, according to her attorneys, Sigma Huda's family had been barred from 
        visiting her, delivering food, or securing safe storage of her 
        prescribed medicines in the concluding days of her trial;
Whereas the Anti-Corruption Commission's special court failed to observe an 
        independent judiciary and abide by Bangladeshi rule of law in the trial 
        and treatment of United Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda;
Whereas United Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda was convicted of extortion 
        on August 27, 2007, and sentenced to serve 3 years in prison;
Whereas numerous anti-government demonstrations and protests have taken place in 
        Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, in recent weeks, leading the 
        government to shut down numerous universities and enforce a curfew 
        throughout the capital and other major cities;
Whereas the caretaker government has agreed to schedule elections by the end of 
        2008, keeping Bangladesh in a state of emergency until then; and
Whereas the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has 
        placed Bangladesh on its Watch List due to concerns about Islamist 
        radicalism and violence and the threatening conditions for and 
        discrimination against religious minorities, particularly Hindus, 
        Christians, and Ahmadis: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Secretary of State to investigate and 
        determine if the charges brought against United Nations Special 
        Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Sigma Huda, constitute a 
        retaliation by the military-backed emergency ``caretaker'' 
        Government of Bangladesh for her family's alleged political 
        activities;
            (2) encourages the Secretary of State and United Nations 
        Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to investigate the fairness and 
        legitimacy of the trial and resulting conviction of United 
        Nations Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda;
            (3) urges the Secretary of State to condemn the ill 
        treatment of human rights defenders and to call on the 
        caretaker government to ensure due process and equal treatment 
        under the rule of law for all suspects, accused, and witnesses;
            (4) asks the President to direct the United States 
        Permanent Representative to the United Nations to submit a 
        resolution to the United Nations condemning the caretaker 
        government for its continued human rights violations; and
            (5) proposes that the President recognize the return of 
        democracy to Bangladesh as a high priority of United States 
        foreign policy and assume a leadership role in restoring a 
        publicly-elected government in Bangladesh.
                                 <all>
```