IJN represents the family of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani mother of three who is currently imprisoned by the United States government at FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Siddiqui was convicted of criminal charges related to an incident in which she was shot by U.S. soldiers, allegedly in self-defense, while in police custody in Afghanistan. Her trial, which took place in U.S. federal court in New York, left unanswered important questions about her case – including the circumstances of her disappearance from Karachi, Pakistan in 2003.

At the request of Dr. Siddiqui’s family, IJN has monitored legal developments and conducted extensive factual research to shed light on the true facts surrounding her mysterious disappearance in 2003, and the events which followed. For the past 14 months, IJN attorneys have attended all court proceedings related to the criminal charges brought against Dr. Siddiqui in the United States, reviewed court records and legal documents related to her case, and spoken with the criminal defense attorneys appointed to represent her at trial. IJN has also reviewed and analyzed thousands of pages of confidential documents, interviewed dozens of witnesses in several countries, and met with Pakistani government officials in both the United States and Pakistan regarding her case.

The report linked above summarizes some of IJN’s initial findings. Citations to documents and authorities relied upon have been purposely withheld where appropriate in order to protect the identity of witnesses and other confidential information.

IJN’s preliminary investigation has revealed shocking new evidence that contradicts the repeated claims of the U.S. and Pakistani governments that Dr. Siddiqui was not detained in their custody prior to July 2008. IJN has obtained witness testimony and a secret audio recording of statements made by the Superintendant of Police of Sindh Province about his own personal involvement with the apprehension of Dr. Siddiqui and her three children from Karachi, Pakistan in March 2003. The recording, which was neither made, nor solicited by IJN, has been authenticated by witness testimony and other corroborating evidence.

The great weight of the additional witness testimony and documentary evidence obtained by IJN through other sources is also consistent with his account. All available evidence indicates that Dr. Siddiqui, along with her three small children, were initially arrested in March 2003 with the knowledge and cooperation of local authorities in Karachi, Pakistan, and subsequently interrogated by Pakistani military intelligence (ISI) as well as U.S. intelligence agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Today, Dr. Siddiqui’s mental and physical health continues to deteriorate. She is suffering alone –thousands of miles away from her children, family, and country -- in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Her trial in the United States left unanswered the very questions which must be examined in order for the truth to be revealed and justice to be served.