The sad story of Aafia Siddiqui, who became a living corpse through torture and rape during 20 years of imprisonment
Aafia Siddiqui's sad story. (The Guardian)
- Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani woman who has been the subject of various international controversies and tensions.
Aafia Siddiqui was born on March 2, 1972, in Karachi, Pakistan.
He received his higher education in the United States and earned a doctorate in neuroscience from Brandeis University.
Aafia is married and has three children, aged 5 years, 3 years and 6 months.
Arrest and Controversy
The sad story of Aafia Siddiqui. (The Guardians)
Aafia's dark story began in 2003, where Aafia and her family mysteriously disappeared in Pakistan.
The family tries to find Aafia's whereabouts which leads them into the depths of government secrets, covert operations, and highly controversial practices.
Aafia's sister, Fowzia Siddiqui, embarked on a mission to uncover the mystery surrounding Aafia's disappearance, contacting human rights organizations and pleading for help on social media.
"My sister went missing in 2003, with her children and we didn't know about their whereabouts for 4 years. This is nonsense," said Fowzia.
Controversy has arisen over the circumstances of his injuries, while there have also been reports raising questions about how his arrest occurred.
Isolation and Torture
Aafia Siddiqui's sad story. (The Guardian)
In 2005, Fowzia and her family began to connect the dots, prompted by the words of former Guantanamo detainee Moazem Begg.
In her memoir, 'Enemy Combatant', she recounts her experience at Bagram prison, Afghanistan, where she refers to the only female prisoner as the "Gray Woman" or "Prisoner 650", whose screams of pain echo off the prison walls day and night, accompanied by non-stop crying.
"I started hearing horrible screams from a woman next to the cell," wrote Moazem Begg.
"For two days and two nights, I heard the screams. I felt my mind collapse. They told me there were no women. But I wasn't sure," he said.
"That scream echoed through my worst nightmares for a long time. And I later learned at Guantanamo, from other prisoners, that they also heard those screams," continued Moazzem.
In addition, Yvonne Ridley a British journalist who broke the news in mid-2008 about a woman who was detained and tortured at the air base.
"I believe she is the Gray Lady of Bagram. I have shown her photos to various former prisoners of Bagram and half a dozen people have confirmed that she is the woman they saw locked up there," said Yvonne Ridley.
"I have spoken to Binyam Mohammed, a former prisoner of Bagram, Guantanamo, and he said that he saw several US soldiers rape Aafia Siddiqui when she was in Bagram," he continued.
Within two years, Fowzia managed to get back two of Aafia's children, but to this day, Sulaiman's baby has not been found.
Fowzia and her family also received many threats because they were looking for Aafia's whereabouts.
United States Courts
FMC Carswell Jail where Aafia Siddiqui is being held. (Federal Bureau of Prisons)
After her arrest, Aafia was tried in the United States in 2010 on charges of attacks on US military personnel.
He was sentenced to 86 years in prison after being found guilty at the trial.
However, after Ridley investigated the exclusive footage that revealed the inside of the cell, he noted that Aafia allegedly fired the bullet
could not be found, nor was a real firearm that carried neither Aafia's palm nor fingerprints.
Protests and Liberation Campaign
Aafia Siddiqui's sister. (The Guardian)
The case of Aafia Siddiqui triggered widespread protests and acquittal campaigns in Pakistan and several other countries.
Many people believe that Aafia was the victim of an unfair arrest and was imprisoned without due process.
"Aafia did not kill anyone or injure anyone. How could she shoot someone while chained? Where is the justification for detaining someone without trial for five years? Where is the justification for raping her every day, stripping her naked and destroying her holy books? What is the justification for all that?" said Fowzia.
Fowzia meeting with Aafia
The sad story of Aafia Siddiqui. (The Guardians)
As time passed, Fowzia's relentless efforts bore fruit.
After two long decades, the US government finally gave permission for Fowzia to meet Aafia who is currently being held at FMC Carswell prison.
But at that meeting Fowzia was very hurt to see her sister's condition and gave a terrible picture.
"A sister peeking from behind the glass divider, saw a living corpse that was exhausted, a victim of prolonged and unspeakable suffering," said Fowzia.
Aafia's front teeth were knocked out in the prison attack, and she also suffers from hearing loss after a severe head injury.
His voice sounded like a mixture of sadness and suffering.
Liberation Efforts
Campaign for the release of Aafia Siddiqui. (Paradigm Shift)
For several years, the Pakistani government and Aafia's family have been trying to get her released from prison in the United States.
Diplomatic efforts, international campaigns, and human rights demands continue.
The story of Aafia Siddiqui is one of the most controversial and conflict-ridden in the international arena.
He is still the subject of attention and discussion in various parts of the world, with many parties continuing to fight for his rights and his release.
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