JUSTICE FOR AAFIA COALITION
HOW YOU CAN HELP
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Dr Aaifa Siddiqui, a PHD from the prestigious MIT university, the only neurologist ever to have a honorary PHD from the world’s most respected university, the University of Harvard, a Hafizah of Quran, has spent the last four years being raped, tortured, and psychologically abused and currently resides in a prison in the USA, awaiting sentencing for a crime she didn’t commit, on 6th May 2010.
The Messenger of Allah, Upon Whom Be Peace, said:
"A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor." (Sahih Bukhari)
Upon hearing this hadith, below are some of the things we can do to help our sister Aafia and the hundreds like her:
- Raise awareness (through your friends, family, colleagues & by organising events)
- Write to the US and Pakistani authorities
- Write to the media about Aafia case
- Donate to Aafia’s legal fund
- Distribute campaign materials
- Join JFAC as a volunteer
- Write to Aafia
- Do not forget her, nor be shy or scared to talk about her
- Better yourself – be the best Muslim you can be (repent and refrain from sin)
- Pray for her
Let us today, right now recognise and affirm our commitment to sister Aafia. Remember Allah will ask us on the Day of Judgement what we did to help her, so the very least we can do is supplicate to Allah, for her release and for Allah to have mercy on all those in her situation. What crime have they committed? They are the victims of kidnap and torture, known in our time as “extraordinary rendition.”
Today - Aafia Siddiqui, Tomorrow – It really could be you…
WHO IS AAFIA SIDDIQUI?
Aafia Siddiqui was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1972. She was one of three children, her father being a doctor trained in England. Aafia moved to Texas in 1990 to be near her brother, and after spending a year at the University of Houston, transferred to MIT. Aafia then married a medical student, and subsequently entered Brandeis University as a graduate student in cognitive neuroscience. Aafia and her husband later returned to Pakistan.
According to Mrs. Siddiqui (Aafia’s mother) Aafia left her house in a cab on March 30th 2002, to catch a flight for Rawalpindi, but never reached the airport. Aafia had in-fact been "picked-up" by intelligence agencies while on her way to the airport and initial reports suggest she was handed over to the FBI.
Aafia Siddiqui had been missing for more than a year when the FBI put her photographs on its website. The press was told that she was an Al Qaeda facilitator. Yet, both the Pakistan government as well as US officials in Washington denied any knowledge of Aafia's custody.
It was on 7th July 2008, a press conference led by Cageprisoners (an NGO representing the victims of extraordinary rendition) in Pakistan resulted in mass international coverage of Aafia’s case as her disappearance was questioned by the media and political figures in Pakistan.
On Monday 4th August 2008, federal prosecutors in the US confirmed that Aafia Siddiqui was extradited to the US from Afghanistan where they allege she had been detained since mid-July 2008. The US administration claim that she was arrested by Afghani forces, while she had in her possession manuals on explosives and ‘dangerous substances in sealed jars’ - attempting to bomb the compound of the governor of Ghazni. They further allege that whilst in custody she shot at US officers (none being injured) and was herself injured in the process.
According to Aafia’s lawyer Elaine Whitfield Sharp: “We do know she was at Bagram for a long time…According to my client she was there for years and she was held in American custody; her treatment was horrendous.”. Although the US has previously denied the presence of female detainees in Bagram and that Aafia was never held there, except for medical treatment in July 2008. This is contrary to Aafia’s claim that she was detained in a series of secret prisons for five years during which time she was repeatedly abused, tortured and raped. Aafia’s claim is verified by former Bagram detainees who affirmed the presence of a female detainee of Pakistani origin with the prisoner ID “650”. The International Committee for the Red Cross also confirmed that a woman had been detained at Bagram, and it was believed to be her.
In late August 2008, the US attorney general confirmed that Aafia’s son Ahmed had been in the custody of the FBI since 2003 – although the US ambassador to Pakistan claimed that Washington had no information regarding Aafia’s children.
On 19th January 2010 the trial of Aafia Siddiqui began, in a Manhattan (US) federal courtroom. The trial lasted for only 2 weeks. On 3th February 2010, the jury reached a verdict and Aafia was convicted and found guilty on all counts, despite the trial having the following discrepancies:
- The court proceedings was limited to the incident in Ghazni (Afganistan) without mentioning her kidnapping and years of torture, which itself lacked concrete evidence.
- It is still unexplained how a frail, 90 pound woman, confronted with three US army officers, two interpreters and two FBI agents managed to assault three of them, snatch a rifle from one of them, open fire at close range, hit no one, but she herself was wounded.
- There were no fingerprints on the gun.
- There was no gunshot residue, bullet holes in the walls or bullets cases in the area from that particular gun.
- The testimony of the government’s six eyewitnesses contradicted each other.
Aafia is due to be sentenced on 6th May 2010 and faces up to 60 years in prison for attempted murder and armed assault. The whereabouts and welfare of Aafia’s two younger children remain a mystery.
Following her conviction, she remains at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in New York where she has spent the best part of her detention in the US. Throughout that time, she has been subject to humiliating and degrading strip and cavity searches, prompting her to refuse legal visits on many occasions. Aafia is being refused all contact with her family and is not being permitted any letters, phone-calls, visits or reading material under the pretext of “the security of the nation.” Now, stop, think, and consider what you have just read, and then read these heartbreaking words of your Prophet, Muhammad, Upon Whom Be Peace, Who Said,
"A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others." (Sahih Muslim)
Now invoke your lord and unleash the weapon of the believer.
http://www.justiceforaafia.org