Cageprisoners has received new information that Aafia Siddiqui was held for years in Bagram Airbase. According to her lawyer, Elaine Whitfield Sharp,
“We do know she was at Bagram for a long time. It was a long time. According to my client she was there for years and she was held in American custody; her treatment was horrendous.”
Siddiqui’s claim is contrary to the heavily contested position of the US administration that she was detained in July by Afghan forces while attempting to bomb the compound of the governor of Ghazni. The US has previously denied the presence of female detainees in Bagram and that Aafia was ever held there, bar for medical treatment in July 2008.
Sharp also commented about Siddiqui’s current condition and in particular the gunshot wound she has received. Not having been given proper medical treatment for the wound, there is a real concern that it will become infected as it is believed to be septic. She is extremely weak and had to be wheeled into her legal visit.
Legal visits have also become a problem for Sharp and her client. They were only allowed to meet with Siddiqui in a cell behind glass with bars and their only method of communication was through the slot in the door used for food. Sharp was forced to bend over for the several hours of their meeting in order to listen and speak through the food slot. This resulted in extreme difficult for lawyer and client as they attempted to speak to one another. Sharp further commented,
“In that open situation, we were forced to keep our voices low as we were aware that we were video and tape recorded. The whole situation made it impossible for me to meet properly with my client.”
Of great concern to Cageprisoners is the detention of Ahmed, the twelve-year-old son of Siddiqui who is still being detained in Afghanistan, alone and away from his mother, despite his status as a US citizen. It is imperative that the US place him in the custody of his relatives.
Comments
3 responses to “Afia – held in Bagram for years, 12-yr son also detained”
Being an American citizen im ashamed of the governments abduction of Dr Asia. I do not condone terrorism in any form but it is cruel and inhumane the way the Americans have treated Dr Asia and her three young kids. Being a mother myself im tortured by the thought of what she must be going through. I demand her release..America show some humanity..
kindly add Dr Afia’s recent pic on all post related to her,that pic is slap on the face of democratic system of America,its high time American People should realize that them voting for a warmongering maniac neocon republican to white house have lots of implications and negative consequences for the rest of the world,Sham war on terror is creating more terrorist rather then containing terrorism,if a brother or sister of any Iraqi,Afghani,Pakistani is killed in this sham war on terror then what do you expect,that person won’t forgive America for rest of his life,so these americans themselves are creating terrorists and spreading terror around the world. So i earnestly plead to Americans to vote wisely and prudently in Nov elections and make sure these hawkish neocon republicans stay out of white house .
Hight of inhumanity is going on by US government. On what grounds can you held the children under age on terror charges for more than 5 years