AS VERDICT IN TRIAL NEARS, SIGMA HUDA'S HEALTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001379 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KGOV KDEM BG SUBJECT: AS VERDICT IN TRIAL NEARS, SIGMA HUDA'S HEALTH STILL IN QUESTION REF: A. DHAKA 1155 ¶B. DHAKA 1295 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Geeta Pasi; reasons 1.4(d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Sigma Huda's sister Khushi Kabir discussed Sigma's medical condition with POLOFF. Kabir said Sigma's health was not good, but that the jail authorities had moved her to the hospital for better care. Nevertheless, if the government continues to drag its feet in authorizing payment for Sigma's medical tests, doctors may recommend Sigma be transferred back to the jail. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Khushi Kabir, the head of a Bangladeshi non-government organization and the sister of United Nations Anti-Trafficking Special Rapporteur Sigma Huda, met POLOFF on August 15 to discuss Sigma's medical condition. Sigma, along with her husband, former Communications Minister Nazmul Huda, are currently on trial facing corruption charges. (Reftel A) SIGMA'S HEALTH "POOR" ===================== ¶3. (C) According to Kabir, Sigma's health is "poor." She has suffered for years from heart ailments and diabetes, and was scheduled to undergo tests in Singapore when she was charged in the current corruption case and prohibited from leaving the country. Kabir provided POLOFF with copies of Sigma's medical records from the past three years that clearly showed a history of heart, kidney and other ailments. (NOTE: This runs counter to the Home Secretary's claim to CDA that he had been informed Sigma was "walking around" and appeared fine when they came to arrest her -- the implication being she was making up her health problems to garner public sympathy. Reftel B) TRANSFERRED TO HOSPITAL... ========================== ¶4. (SBU) Kabir said Sigma was transferred from the Dhaka Central Jail to the Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujib Medical Hospital on August 4. While this was a positive step, she said the jail authorities have not provided the required letter authorizing payment for the necessary medical tests. Without that authorization, or permission from the authorities to let the family pay the costs, the doctors cannot perform the complicated heart tests Sigma regularly requires. Other high-profile arrestees have been transferred to the Ibrahim Cardiac Center adjacent to the Hospital, and the family does not understand why Sigma cannot be treated there as well. BUT DENIED PROPER TESTS ======================= ¶5. (SBU) If they cannot do the tests, the doctors will recommend transferring Sigma back to the Central Jail. The family is readying an appeal to the High Court compelling the government to authorize the tests, though they are waiting a few days to see if the jail authorities take any action. (NOTE: The following day, Kabir told POLOFF that the hospital had begun conducting some of the required tests, but that there were still delays for the more complicated heart tests because the doctors lacked proper authorization.) ¶6. (SBU) Apart from Sigma's health, Khushi said she has "no objections" to Sigma's treatment in jail. Shortly after she was jailed in early July, the court granted Sigma "division" -- essentially, a form of VIP status that entitles one to more comfortable accommodation in jail. Sigma has been able to meet with family, though the procedure for arranging such visits can be complicated and require negotiation with jail officials. KERFUFFLE OVER SMUGGLED CELLPHONE ================================= ¶7. (SBU) In another twist in this case, the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Shamshul Haider Siddiqui announced publicly on August 20 that jail authorities had suspended four female jail guards for having helped Sigma smuggle and maintain a cellphone in her cell, contrary to prison regulations. According to Siddiqui, Sigma was caught "red-handed" with the phone in her cell room at the hospital on August 17. Siddiqui claimed Sigma had bribed some of the guards into helping her, and that other guards who were not DHAKA 00001379 002 OF 002 given their share of the bribes turned them in. (NOTE: When contacted by POLOFF, Sigma's sister Kabir said the first she had heard of the cellphone episode was from the newspaper, but that she doubted the allegation.) VERDICT SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 23 =============================== ¶8. (C) The judge in the corruption trial against Sigma and her husband is scheduled to announce his verdict on August ¶23. Kabir did not want to discuss the case against Sigma, saying only that she believes "personally" that Sigma is innocent. Regarding Sigma's husband Nazmul, Kabir would only say she had many disagreements with her brother-in-law and did not want to speak of him. She did add, however, that when she observed the proceedings in the Special Anti-Corruption Court, she noted "several military men in normal clothes" throughout the courtroom, including one who was "whispering frequently to the judge." She said this did not seem fair or appropriate. ¶9. (SBU) The Embassy is monitoring the ongoing anti-corruption cases closely. The Embassy continues to raise our concerns regarding due process and proper medical treatment with the Home Ministry and other government representatives. On August 21, CDA raised the issue of Huda's medical condition with a senior aide to the Chief Advisor, who agreed to look into the matter. PASI