Dr Aafia is being constantly ‘sexually harassed’ in Texas jail, reveals her lawyer.
Clive Stafford Smith, the American attorney representing Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, has reported that Dr Aafia is being constantly ‘sexually harassed’ at a jail in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, has been imprisoned in the United States since her conviction in 2010 on charges of attempted murder and assault—charges she has steadfastly denied.
Also read: The mystery of Dr Aafia Siddiqui
In a phone interview with Geo News, Smith alleged that a security guard raped Dr. Siddiqui two weeks ago as a punishment, adding to a litany of abuses she has endured since her incarceration.
“Sexual abuse of Dr. Aafia has not stopped so far,” he stated, emphasizing that she remains a target of continuous physical harassment.
Smith’s claims came after a recent visit to Dr. Siddiqui, during which he had to communicate with her through a malfunctioning phone system behind a glass partition.
Despite technical difficulties, he managed to speak with her and later raised concerns with the prison authorities, who rectified the issue after two days.
Further allegations of mistreatment emerged when Dr. Siddiqui’s sister, Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, visited her.
According to Smith, Dr. Fowzia found her sister in tears.
After Dr. Aafia was taken away, Dr. Fowzia was left locked in a room for an hour and a half due to an apparent oversight by prison officials.
Despite these harrowing accounts, Smith expressed optimism about the legal battle to secure Dr. Siddiqui’s release.
“Currently, I am in New York. I am leaving for Washington tomorrow where I will meet some people who will brief the White House about the case,” he revealed, though he declined to disclose the names of the officials he would meet.
He noted that significant progress has been made, and efforts are moving in the right direction.
Dr.Aafia Siddiqui has been in this prison since 2010 & held under false charges with out any evidence. Shes been targeted and abused ever since arriving here as a Muslim woman at the age of 18. We must speak up for our oppressed Muslim brothers & sisters, if we don’t, who will? pic.twitter.com/YYK2lLOJ20
— abrar ✿ (@shaina3na) May 26, 2024
Dr. Siddiqui was indicted by a New York federal district court in September 2008 following an incident during an interrogation by US authorities in Ghazni, Afghanistan.
After spending 18 months in detention, she was tried and convicted, receiving an 86-year prison sentence.
