Aafia Siddiqui Forced to Walk Naked Over the Qur’an

JFAC Horrified by New Abuse Revelations,Aafia Siddiqui Forced to Walk Naked Over the Qur’an

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 30th 2010

Contact: info@justiceforaafia.org

As hundreds of concerned citizens hold a Day of Remembrance in Pakistan to commemorate the seventh anniversary of her disappearance, the Justice for Aafia Coalition reveal for the first time, in the English language, specific harrowing details of the abuse Aafia Siddiqui was forced to endure in the years spent in secret detention.

During the course of an interview by Kamran Shahid on Pakistan’s Front Line, screened 26th March, Siddiqui’s mother and sister described publicly for the first time the various forms of torture she underwent at the hands of US agents. This included being:

* forcefully stripped by six men and then repeatedly sexually abused

* beaten with rifle butts until she bled

* bound to a bed, with her hands and feet tied whilst unspecified forms of torture were administered to the soles of her feet and head

* injected with unknown substances

* dragged by her hair

* having her hairs pulled out one by one

* forced to walk on the Qu’ran which had been desecrated in her cell whilst naked

Maryam Hassan, founder of the Justice for Aafia Coalition (JFAC), commented:

“These most recent horrific revelations shine a light for the first time on years of detention shrouded until now in darkness and mystery. Forced nudity, violent sexual abuse, the desecration of the Qu’ran, video-taped torture sessions have become infamous hallmarks of US detention since the start of the War on Terror, from Bagram to Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

The Obama administration must immediately disclose any video evidence in its possession relating to Ms Siddiqui’s detention and torture. The American public has a right to know what is being carried out in its name as much as the Pakistani public are deserving of knowing the horrendous abuse one of their citizens has been subjected to. “

For the full interview, transcribed and translated into English by the Justice for Aafia Coalition, please visit:

http://justiceforaafia.org/index.php/articles/articles/477-front-line-interview-with-aafia-siddiquis-family-

To view the video recording of the interview in Urdu:

http://justiceforaafia.org/index.php/multimedia/475-aafia-siddiqi-front-line-special-program-26th-march-2010

A version with English subtitles will be available on www.justiceforaafia.org soon.

Wassalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah wa barakatuhu,

Team Schrijfnu (aanwezig op maandag en donderdag)