News

Rallies Held in Fort Worth to MArk 10th Anniversary

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:49:50 +0000

April 09, 2013

DALLAS: American former Attorney General from 60's Mr. Ramsey Clark has said that he concluded after going through all the facts in Dr Aafia Siddiqui's trial that she is innocent and America unjustly kept her in prison.

He was addressing a rally in front of DFW Federal court in downtown Fort Worth Texas. The rally was organized by organization "Peace through Justice" for justice for Aafia Siddiqui.

Clark said it seems after wrongfully convicting Aafia Siddiqui, America is trapped in its own credibility and honor, that is why the country is not serious in releasing her.

He said that he had reviewed a large number of cases in his professional life as attorney, but he never saw such a bizarre case like Aafia Siddiqui's case.

The former attorney general further said among all the political prisoners in the world Aafia Siddiqui's case is second most popular case in the world.

He said the US administration could never answer a question as what are the evidences of Aafia Siddiqui possible connection with Al-Qaeda.

The rally organizer and Peace through Justice Leader Mr. Mauri Saalakhan of the Washington, D.C, while addressing the event said that Dr. Aafia was arrested during President Bush tenure but she is still kept behind bars in Obama's administration.

He said that he would continue the struggle until Aafia got justice.

A similar event was held in March by this organization along with other groups on the tenth anniversary of incarceration of Aafia Siddiqui in front of carswell Federal prison in Fort Worth Texas where Afia Siddiqui is jailed.

FreeAafia Protest in Durban City Center

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:52:16 +0000

Durban City Centre brought to a halt at FREE AAFIA PROTEST

25 March 2013

South Africans flocked on Friday 22nd March to the United States Consulate, situated in the heart of the city centre in Durban, in solidarity with the Global Free Aafia Movements to protest on the tenth anniversary of the abduction of Dr. Siddiqui and her three children in Karachi, Pakistan. The picket drew huge public interest as thousands of motorists and pedestrians of all races witnessing the event. The audience was extremely vocal and passionate chants of "Free Free Aafia", echoed through one of the busiest streets in the city. The protesters demanded for an end to the oppression and injustices against Dr Aafia Siddiqui and demanded her repatriation to Pakistan.

The protest action which was held under banner of the "Free Aafia Foundation", was supported by a number of organisations and human rights activists. The picket began with a "flash mob" live demonstration, enacting the kidnapping of a screaming Aafia in the streets of Karachi, being dragged away from her children and brutally beaten and tortured. Shabnam Mohammed, an activist who played the part of Aafia was thrown into a mock cell. With deafening screams, she pleaded for help and repeatedly cried out about the whereabouts of her children.

Full Story here.

Family Statement on "AAFIA BRIGADE"

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:17:49 +0000

Family Statement on "AAFIA BRIGADE"

March 22, 2013

The Family of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is very distraught at the disturbing news items regarding a so called Aafia Brigade. Once again, terrorists, murderers and kidnappers have chosen to hide their crimes behind the name Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. Not the woman. Not the mother. Not the sister. Not the daughter. Not the kind and tender heart.... Just the name.

Our family denies all connections to such acts of outrageous violence. We believe in a struggle that is peaceful and dignified, associating Aafia's name with acts of violence is against everything we are struggling for.

Now some people will make their own claims about what Aafia thinks and with whom she associates. The reality and facts don't even get a mention.

Again we want to set the record straight. We are Aafia's family. We are speaking for her. With every atom of our hearts and souls we condemn evil, and we pray to God that the suffering of the victims are eased just as we pray for Aafia.

In the fall of 2010, after being sentenced to eighty-six years in prison for a crime she did not commit, Aafia spoke to the public for only the second time since she and her three small children were kidnapped by Pakistani agents and turned over to representatives of the United States government in 2003.

She spoke of forgiving the judge, and the people who had wronged her, and asked that no violence be done in her name.

Recently members of al-Qaeda made statements demanding her freedom. Similarly Algeria and now TTP.

None of them had mentioned her before. Never when she was suffering in Afghanistan, nor when the Quran was being desecrated and she was being beaten. They just didn't care. Why this sudden sympathy for Aafia now ?

Do they hope that by associating her name with their acts of violence they hope to borrow Aafia's moral stature as their own, making this their claim as the leaders of the Muslim World?

Because Aafia has become a litmus test for who is for and who is against Pakistan, its honor and dignity, everyone wishes to use her name. Everytime movement for her return home shows a positive outcome these forces like her ex-husband and agency touts emerge from out of nowhere and try to influence public opinion. Well times have changed and people are not blind. They see the pattern.

The indiscriminate campaign of murder and mayhem has disgusted all but the tiniest minority. The war On / Of terror has failed, whether it is bomb blasts or drones or extrajudicial kidnappings it is wrong.

Cases like Aafia's generate great support and emotional involvement because the suffering she has endured can't be ignored. Her story touches anyone with a conscience and those are the emotions that extremists like to exploit.

At the time of the Algerian incedent we had issued a statement

"One tragic result of this event is that once opportunists have committed violence in her name a taboo will have been broken and we will see more of this as some people lose faith in our appeal to reason.

We condemn violence. It is abhorrent to us. It violates everything we have been taught by our parents, God, and his prophets."

Those of us who know and love Aafia can tell you that she would be distraught if she knew that there are people bragging about this murder and mayhem and using her name to justify it. She would also be praying for the victims and their families. Aafia is one of too many people around the world who understands the toll that injustice demands from all of us.

Interview with Aafia's Attorney, Tina Foster

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:34:17 +0000

This exclusive interview was first published on Muslim Matters website as part of the 10th Anniversary of the kidnapping and rendition of Dr. Aafia and her three minor children, the youngest of whom was 6 months old and has not been seen since 2003.

(Please click on the image to hear the interview)

Philanthropist Edhi Appeals for Aafia's Release

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:22:22 +0000

Edhi Appeals Zardari, Obama for Aafia's Release

13 March, 2013 KARACHI - Human rights activist Abdul Sattar Edhi here Tuesday visited the "10 years-10 days" camp at Karachi Press Club (KPC) in connection to raise the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui on the completion of her first 10 years in the American imprisonment.

Writing comments in the guest book on the occasion, he said: "I appeal to the US government to release Dr Aafia on humanitarian grounds." He said he hoped that the American government would consider his appeal. He said if any imprisonment is necessary he should be put in jail instead of Dr Aafia.

On the occasion, Dr Azra and other workers of Aafia Movement welcomed Edhi.

Dr Azra told him that a Christian student Fahar Amjad had staged a hunger strike camp and demanded of the US President Obama to release Dr Aafia as the Christmas gift and appealed him to put him in jail in place of Aafia.

On the occasion, Abdul Sattar Edhi appealed to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and US President Obama to release Aafia. He said when the children of the nation show such a commitment, the future of the nation would be bright. He hoped that Dr Aafia would soon return home.

The Aafia Diary - Tenth Anniversary

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 00:12:51 +0000

First Published March 21, 2013, MuslimMatters.org

By Andrew Purcell

I haven't really been keeping a diary. It just seemed to be a format that worked well. It is not strictly chronological, but it tells the story. Everything I write here is something I saw, both through interacting with Aafia and her family and sitting through her trial in New York City.

2003. Spring.

I was at my computer reading the news headlines of the day, and an odd item caught my eye. The headline read "FBI Searching for Female al-Qaeda Leader". Al-Qaeda is incapable of having a woman in a position of leadership. It is just not the role in life that women are destined for. Did the FBI miss that memo? I'm always up for a good laugh, especially at the expense of those who assure us that they know best.

So I clicked on the link and my life changed.

The article explained that the FBI was looking for a woman named Aafia Siddiqui. I know a woman named Aafia Siddiqui, and I know her brother, and I know her sister, and I know their mother. They have been close friends of mine forever. Her brother once mentioned that she had a rare combination of names. That there just weren't that many women named Aafia Siddiqui. This must be a different one.

The article continued that she was married, had three small children, she had lived for many years in Boston, that she had degrees from MIT and Brandeis... This stopped being funny very quickly. I e-mailed her brother. What's going on?

"Aafia was picked up over the weekend. Pak government said she was handed over to FBI. The FBI denies having her. Pak government then denied she had been arrested. In that part of the world this is very bad."

Later in the day I spoke to him and learned that her three children, Ahmad, six years old, Maryam, four years old, and Suliman, six months old, had also been taken.

A day that began with "Gee, this is funny" went downhill very quickly... (click on link for full article)

Full Article here

Farooq Chohan Column

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:10:34 +0000

Published in Daily JANG

15 February, 2013

New Year Message from the Family of Dr Aafia

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:19:05 +0000

Dec 31, 2012

A Message of Thanks from the Family of Aafia...

We send our thanks and prayers to all of our friends around the world for everything you have done for Aafia.

2012 marked nine years in chains for Aafia, but the movement to free her made huge gains. International support for the Free Aafia campaign has expanded to include groups in two dozen countries. Support for Aafia is nearly universal in Pakistan despite the government's limitations on press coverage, especially in the English language media, and several official "protective" roadblocks.

Some of you marched peacefully with thousands of other people on to the streets to demand her freedom. Some of you sent Aafia a postcard telling her that you love her, that you believe her, and that you are praying for her and her family. Some of you raised money. Some of you gave your time. Many of you prayed. Many of you were there among the thousands who joined the "Caravan of Dignity" (Karwan-e-Ghairat) rallies.

You proved that a quilt of interfaith harmony can be a powerful weapon against injustice as Aafia was remembered at Ashura, Ramadan, Naurooz, Easter, Holi, Diwali and Christmas, united under a banner demanding that our common humanity be recognized everywhere.

All of you are part of our family in a way that we can't explain but we will always be grateful for.

Below are some of the notable events of 2012.

January:

A fatwa from a senior religious body in Makkah, Saudi Arabia is made public calling for support for securing Aafia's freedom. It is censored in the Pakistani media and Saudi officials asked the family not to make a public issue of it. Pakistani agencies have repeated this message to us and added "or else".

February:

On February 10th a large peaceful rally near the US consulate in Karachi was violently assaulted. In the unprovoked attack coordinated by Pakistani and foreign security personnel using water cannons and baton charges, several people were seriously hurt and needed hospitalization including Aafia's sister, Dr. Fauzia and Altaf Shakoor. Our sources told us that the slogan "86 years=Bullshit" that had been displayed at an earlier demonstration offended someone in the consulate who demanded retribution.

Far from silencing us, it brought us an international spotlight and became a catalyst for a major series of events across South Africa. This kicked off a successful campaign which has now multiple active chapters with new ones opening in neighboring African countries. (more here)

March:

The ninth anniversary of the kidnapping of Aafia and her three children is marked by candlelight vigils and rallies across fifteen countries including a vigil outside the United States' embassy in London, a rally outside the Federal Courthouse in Fort Worth, Texas, just a few miles from where Aafia is being held at Carswell Prison, and a large demonstration outside the US consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa. (more here)

May:

For several years the Pakistani TV channel ARY has made a tradition of dedicating their Mother's Day morning show to Dr. Aafia and her children. A worldwide audience watched Ahmed and Maryam as they continue their journey from trauma to normalcy. (video here)

On this same occasion we were also reminded of the baby Suleman who was only 6 months old when abducted. His fate remains a mystery. Little interest is shown by Pakistan's authorities. As one official said to our family, "He was just a Pakistani kid - who cares?" *(Ahmad and Maryam were born in the United States and are American citizens. Suleman, born in Pakistan, was just a Pakistani kid.) (more here)

July:

An Independence Day campaign to send tens of thousands of cards to the White House was launched and over 50,000 were mailed world wide.

As our successes grew, the shadowy security agencies were not idle. A malicious rumor of Aafia's death was spread. Aafia is kept is total isolation and had no contact with family or even lawyers so we were in no position to verify. This was eventually proven to be nothing more than a spiteful response to the campaign directed at Aafia's elderly mother.

During the Ramadan, two significant developments occurred. The American government confirmed that the Pakistani government had never made a formal request for Aafia's repatriation and so the United States could take no action. This exposed the complicity of some highly placed Pakistani authorities in keeping Aafia locked up. (more here)

The second development was perhaps the most dramatic of this entire ordeal. Aafia spoke. Her own words. Her own voice. A video from 1991 of nineteen year old Aafia giving a talk on the Role of Women in Islam appeared on YouTube. The video garnered 100,000 views in days, despite a news media black out by Pakistani, Turkish, and Arab TV stations. While acknowledging its authenticity, "editorial" decisions prevented the video from being broadcast or even mentioned. (video here)

August:

Former United States Attorney General Ramsey Clark visited Pakistan. He described Aafia's imprisonment and the underlying premise as unjustifiable and called the American system in this case "unfair" and terming Aafia's trial "illegal". (more here)

September:

Former United States Senator Mike Gravel visited Pakistan to emphasize that this was purely a political case and its solution lay in the political arena. He urged action, making the famous comment, "If the Pakistani government took serious action, Aafia could be home in two days". (more here)

October:

A delegation of US antiwar groups led by UNAC and Code Pink came to Pakistan to protest the evils of the "collateral damage" of the war on terror, including the drone attacks and the case of Dr. Aafia. (more here)

December:

Former United States Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and International Action Center (IAC) director Sara Flounders visited Pakistan and spent a "Free Aafia Week" across Pakistan, again highlighting the inaction on the part of the Pakistani government. (more here)

Our campaign websites were hacked and selective data damaged. Aafia's sister was detained multiple times and her family threatened. Her livelihood placed at risk when her clinic, one of the few in Pakistan that treats epilepsy, was targeted under the guise of "extortion".

Also in 2012, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, the foreign minister for the former military dictator Pervez Musharaf, admitted in his infamous tweet: "I'm so sorry for handing over the innocent @DrAafiaSiddiqui to the Americans. It was my biggest mistake ever!.Khurshi Kasuri"

Not surprisingly, after this tweet went viral, Mr. Kasuri removed it, but he has not repudiated it either.

And these are just the highlights!

By God's grace, 2012 was eventful and has set the stage for more in 2013. We are energized by the success of so many events and the growing international support.

We wish all sincere supporters a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous 2013...

Aafia, Tu Abroo e Qaume e Marhoom Hai

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:34:22 +0000

February 27, 2013

By Hafizullah Niazi

UNAC Rally - Political Prisoners in the US

admin@freeaafia.com (Free Aafia) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:27:54 +0000

Political Prisoners in the U.S.

As the U.S. military goes around the world "bringing democracy" to countries that will not follow the dictates of the U.S. government, they have been conducting a war against the people of the U.S. too. This war has manifested itself in attacks on our the civil liberties. These attacks have resulted in many political prisoners in the U.S. Although there have been political prisoners in the U.S. for many years such as Mumia Abu-Jamal (http://www.freemumia.com/) and Leonard Peltier (http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info/), the more recent attacks have included the preemptive prosecutions of Muslims who have been set up through phony plots initiated by the FBI and other U.S. government agencies (see: http://projectsalam.org/ and http://www.civilfreedoms.org/) . Through kangaroo court type trials that have included secret evidence and fear tactics, these Muslims cases have resulted in long prison sentences, many in special Muslim prisons called Communication Management Units (CMUs).

Aafia Siddiqui is also at Carswell prison and has been kept in solitary confinement.

Aafia Siddiqui is a young Pakistani woman who was educated in the U.S. She did undergraduate work at MIT and got her doctorate from Brandeis. She eventually returned to Karachi, Pakistan where her family lives. She had 3 children, 2 born in the U.S., making them U.S. citizens. In 2003, Aafia took her three children, ages 6 months to 6 years, on a trip to Islamabad and disappeared. The U.S. and Pakistani government both denied having her in custody. Five years passed and her family feared she and her children were dead when they got word from a British reporter that she was alive and at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, which is a prison and torture center used by the U.S. NBC news also confirmed that Aafia was at Bagram and the U.S. government finally admitted they had her in custody.

Aafia was said to be the only female prisoner in Bagram. In 2005, male prisoners went on a hunger strike at Bagram to protest the treatment of Aafia. They were said to have heard her "haunting sobs and piercing screams." She was known at Bagram as "Prisoner 650."

Once the U.S. admitted to having Aafia, she was taken to the U.S. and tried for assaulting a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan while she was in custody. The U.S. claimed that while being interrogated, 4'11" Aafia reached out from behind a curtain, grabbed a rifle and tried to shoot one of her interrogators. No soldier was shot during this alleged incident, but Aafia was shot twice. She was convicted of assault on a U.S. soldier and is now serving 86 year in solitary confinement at the notorious Carswell prison in Texas; the same prison as Lynne Stewart. Aafia was not charged with any terrorism charges.

Aafia's family has had almost no contact with her and has been denied the right to visit. Her son Ahmed, a U.S. citizen who was 6 when kidnapped with Aafia, was found in 2008 in, Afghanistan. He was then reunited with Aafia's sister, who heads her defense campaign in Pakistan. Aafia's daughter, Maryum, also a U.S. citizen who was 4 at the time of her kidnapping, was mysteriously dropped off in April, 2010 near her aunt's house in Karachi after being missing for 7 years. When dropped off, the only language she knew was English, which she spoke with a perfect American accent. A Pakistani Senator and chairman of the Pakistani Senate's Standing Committee on the Interior, Senator Talha Mehmood, slammed the U.S. for "Keeping the Child in a military jail in a cold, dark room for seven years." Aafia's youngest child, a boy, remains missing and is feared dead.

Though this case has had little attention in the U.S., all of Pakistan is aware of Aafia siddiqui. Recently, when UNAC leaders were in Karachi to show support for Aafia, they saw wall writing and posters throughout the city demanding her release. One demonstration in Pakistan for Aafia was attended by over 1 million people.

What you can do to help.

Aafia's family and defense committee are demanding her immediate repatriation to Pakistan. There is a petition that you can sign in support of this demand. To sign the petition, please go here: http://www.iacenter.org/SiddiquiPetition/.

You can contact the U.S. State Department about Aafia's case by going here:

http://contact-us.state.gov/app/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTM2MTIxOTQ4NS9zaWQvb21rRWdiamw%3D

Please see the official Aafia Siddiqui web site here: http://freeaafia.com/.

On March 8, International Women's Day, there will be a support rally for Aafia at the Embassy of Pakistan, 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008, from 3 - 5 PM. On Friday, March 29, there will be a protest in support of Aafia at the US District Court, 501 W. 10th St., Fort Worth, Texas, from 3 - 5 PM and on March 30, there will be a protest at the FMC Carswell prison, in Fort Worth, Texas at noon. If you would like more information on any of these actions, please send an email to UNACpeace@gmail.com.