[JURIST] A Bangladeshi court jailed UN human rights expert Sigma Huda [official profile, DOC] Thursday, pending a trial over allegations connecting her to a government corruption case [JURIST news archive]. Prosecutors allege Huda assisted her husband, former Bangladeshi communications minister Nazmul Huda, in extorting almost $300,000 USD from a construction company while in office. The Bangladesh Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling allowing her to be released on bail earlier in the week. The trial is scheduled to start Monday. Huda's lawyer told AP that she is being targeted for her criticism of Bangladesh's military interim government.

Last month Bangladesh refused to allow Huda to travel to Geneva [UN Watch press release], where she was scheduled to deliver a key report on human trafficking. The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women [advocacy website] has established a timeline [press release, DOC] of the allegations made by Huda against the Bangladeshi government, including harassment and imprisonment of her family members. AP has more.